Two Worlds Collide
by XxNormannoeyesxX
Summary: Shane has found a way to save himself from heart break treating girls like objects, but he's got too used to it so what happens when Mitchie bursts his illusion of grandeur. Full summary inside!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Shane Grey's first love ripped out his heart now so he doesn't get hurt again he treats girls like they're objects. However Shane doesn't realise some girls, like Mitchie Torres, don't find that behaviour attractive. Now he's met Mitchie, Shane can't take no for an answer but is it because of his ego or is there more to it?

Chapter one

Mitchie's Prov

We arrived at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, with half an hour to spare yet the concert hall was nearly full. I was never one to feel an unconditional devotion to a band but it was clear with the many hand made posters, t-shirts with Connect 3's pictures on them and the excitement in the air that these fans were unconditionally devoted to this band.

I followed Ella and Caitlyn to our seats in the front row - Caitlyn's step dad had camped out and paid a ridiculous sum of money to get the best seats in the house - and settled in for a long night.

I wasn't going to make the night horrible for my friends, I would grin and bear it, but I really didn't want to be here. I liked Connect 3's sound it was poppy and rocky all at once, music you could dance to and have a good time with your friends so obviously that wasn't the problem the problem was 5"10 with brown hair and eyes and was known as Shane Grey. I wasn't blind or deaf the boy was cute and very talented but he was just so obnoxious and arrogant with a new woman on his arm every week like they were some sort of trophy.

"I can't believe you's brought me here." I frowned as two girls walked past me wearing t-shirts with Shane's face on them.

"We know you don't like the guy, Mitchie but come on tonight is supposed to be fun." Caitlyn smiled nudging me playfully.

"Yeah Mitchie, let's have fun tonight and celebrate the end of high school." Ella beamed.

I looked between my friends pleading faces, "Fine." I sighed in defeat.

* * *

The half an hour past in a blur and before I knew it the warm up band was playing, I perked up a bit and appreciated the seats more when they came on stage they were all pretty cute especially the bass player.

But all too soon they were wrapping up their act and Connect 3 were coming onto the stage through trap doors on the floor in a blaze of fireworks.

My irritation with Shane Grey increased as girls around me began screaming his name, did they not see the gossip sections in all the magazines or the features on Hot Tunes about him. Did they not respect themselves?

Looking at his smug face it was clear he was enjoying the female attention.

Shane's Prov

I walked about the stage smiling with pleasure as thousands of girls were still screaming out my name six songs into our set. Who wouldn't love this attention?

I made my way to the centre of the stage for the end of the song, it was a slow one and I always sang the last chorus to one lucky girl. I searched the front row, for one of the girls that caught my eye only to find the only girl who wasn't swaying her hands back and forth instead she was looking at her watch as if she couldn't wait for this night to end.

I felt myself frown and had to remind myself to keep singing, what was her problem? Did she not know where she was? I had to keep myself from tutting at her so I turned to one of the other more enthusiastic girls beside her and got down on my hunches and began singing the last verse to her nearly making her hyperventilate, but I couldn't enjoy the effect I had on her because from the corner of my eye I seen the boring girl roll her eyes.

Mitchie's Prov

I had to stop myself from gagging when he began singing to the girl next to me so I was thankful when the song ended.

"O.k. guys."

To my relief it wasn't Shane talking it was the shorter curly haired one, Nate was it?

"We're gonna take a fifteen minute break, but first we have a surprise because it's the last concert of the tour under five seats there are a couple of backstage passes so you's can come hang out with us and our friends after the show."

There was a chorus of screams before I was surrounded by girls with their head between there knees looking for the backstage passes. I couldn't help but roll my eyes until I noticed Caitlyn and Ella's head between their knees too.

"What are you's doing? The chances of those tickets being under our seats are…"

"Brilliant." Caitlyn exclaimed brightly, before I heard Velcro separating then she was waving three cardboard passes in my face.

"No way." I said shaking my head in disbelief

"We're going backstage!" Caitlyn squealed excitedly bouncing up and down on her seat.

"Yay!" Ella smiled clapping her hands excitedly.

"Great." I said trying to sound enthusiastic.

Shane's Prov

I scanned the crowds to see if I could spot anyone that got one of the backstage passes, fingers crossed for a couple of hot girls. But I felt my nose wrinkle in distaste when I spotted the boring girl with one.

Well, this will be interesting.

* * *

Mitchie's Prov

I didn't want the concert to end after Caitlyn found those passes, I really wasn't the partying type and Shane would be there. But I couldn't back out Caitlyn and Ella were really excited and it shone through clearly as they both nearly pulled my arms off as we pushed past the crowds to go backstage.

The backstage area was plainer than the main concert hall with light blue walls covered in posters of other famous acts that have played at the concert hall and cream coloured tiles.

"I promise we don't have to stay long, just let me get a couple of autographs." Caitlyn smiled before disappearing into the crowd.

"And I just want a couple of photos for my MySpace." Ella smiled lopsidedly following her leaving me by myself.

It was more crowded than I thought it was going to be –unfortunately- and all the seats around the glass topped tables were taken and the two large sofas were full as well. So I had to wander over to one of the corners to wait, the minute Caitlyn and Ella were done we were outta here I thought to myself as I started to scan the room for them.

"Hi."

I jumped at the voice behind me; I'd been so involved with looking for my friends and some sort of sign that I could finally leave, the voice caught me off guard.

"Hi." I answered involuntarily turning around. When I found who was speaking to me though I ended up repeating myself because standing in front of me was the sandy blond haired dark blue eyed bass player from the warm up band. "Hi." I smiled goofily pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

His lips pulled up at the corners slightly at my reaction, "You looked lonely so I thought I'd come over and keep you company."

Shane's Prov

"Shane you're my favourite!"

Some girl was gushing as I signed her t-shirt with my face on it, naturally.

"I can't choose favourites when it comes to my fans but if I could it would be you." I winked at her when I was finished sending her into near hysterics.

I gave her my signature smile over my shoulder before making my way towards the refreshment stand.

"Can you sign this for me please?" A very pretty red head asked as I got near the refreshment stand.

"Sure." I smiled taken the programme for tonight's concert and marker out of her hand. "What's your name?" I asked looking down at her.

"Tam…"

But her words faded out because standing just behind her was the boring girl…and she was actually smiling and giggling…she was quite pretty when she was smiling. Who was making her smile though? I thought to myself before trying to see over the red head's head to see who the boring girl was talking to.

"Excuse me." The red head trilled getting my attention again.

I rolled my eyes slightly at the interruption, "Sorry." I apologised and quickly scribbled my name on the programme beside my picture.

Well I suppose I'll give the boring girl a little of my time I thought making my way towards her. She'll not be able to roll her eyes whenever I lay on the charm.

Getting closer to her, I seen who was making her smile, Brad the backstreet boy wanna be, please she couldn't like him better than me.

Mitchie's Prov

He's so cute! He's so cute! HE'S SO CUTE!

"So I was thinking…"

"Yeah?" I smiled eagerly.

"Maybe sometime…" But he couldn't finish because he was rudely interrupted.

"Hey Brad!" Shane grinned patting him on the shoulder before placing himself between Brad and I, making me take a step back so I wasn't so close to him.

"Shane." Brad said curtly before throwing an apologetic glance my way. "Mitchie, this is…" But before Brad could introduce us Shane interrupted again.

"Shane Grey." Shane smiled cockily reaching for my hand and shaking it. "But I'm sure you know that."

I bit my tongue so I didn't say anything I may regret, "Michelle Torres." I smiled as politely as I could while I brought my hand out of his.

"Michelle that's such a pretty name." Shane smiled.

I wanted very badly to roll my eyes, but it would've been rude with him standing right there so I just smiled.

"Actually Shane, Mitchie and I were talking so…" Brad started.

"Mitchie, I thought your name was Michelle." Shane smiled questioningly at me, he could be quite handsome when he wasn't showing off I thought looking into his large chocolate brown eyes.

"It's a nickname." I explained.

"I thought a better nickname for you would be beautiful." Shane smiled the famous Shane Grey smile, I didn't like it, it was so fake.

I was about to burst out laughing at his lame line but Brad beat me to it.

"You're not honestly coming onto a girl _I _spent the last half hour talking too." Brad chuckled.

"Oh sorry Brad." Shane said apologetically yet he never took his eyes off me. "Why don't you go get a drink for yourself while I finish talking to Mitchie?"

"Actually…" I started but was interrupted by Brad.

"How about you go get a drink while I finish talking to Mitchie?" Brad countered making Shane face him.

"I'm pretty sure she'd rather talk to me." Shane argued.

"I'm pretty sure she was about to say 'yes' to coming on a date with me."

I frowned at both of them as they bickered how dare they think they know what I would like? Although Brad was right I refused to boost any male egos, so I simply walked away leaving them unaware because they were still fighting.

I walked with my head down in case they came up for air during their bickering and realised I left, so naturally I ended up walking into someone.

"Sorry." I apologised quickly given whomever it was a quick apologetic smile then continuing on to find Ella or Caitlyn.

I found Ella amongst a group of girls surrounding the tallest member of Connect 3.

"Hey Ells." I shouted to get her attention.

She spun around immediately bumping into a couple of girls making them frown and tut but she ignored them, "What's up Mitch?"

"I'm gonna go wait out in the main hall, or something."

"Why what's wrong?" Ella asked concerned.

"My claustrophobia is acting up because of all the male egos." I laughed.

"Ok." Ella smiled though giggles. "I'll not be much longer I just have to get a picture with Jason then I'm finished."

"Take your time." I smiled before wandering through the crowds and going out the way we came in.

I walked through the narrow little hallway towards the concert hall, and perched myself on the edge of the stage, from here this place looked even bigger than when I was sitting in the audience

"Hi."

The voice caught me off guard but didn't make me jump whoever it was they were speaking quietly probably in case they scared me.

"Hey." I smiled turning around to come face to face with the shorter curly haired member of Connect 3.

"Is this seat taken?" He smiled gesturing to the space beside me.

"Nope." I answered hoping the confusion I felt wasn't showing in my expression.

"Thanks." He smiled sitting down so his legs were dangling off the edge of the stage like mine. "Nate." He smiled politely and held out his hand.

"Mitchie." I smiled back shaking his hand.

We sat in silence for a while until my curiosity got the better of me.

"Shouldn't you be backstage with all your fans?" I asked hoping I didn't sound rude.

"Maybe." He shrugged. "I thought it would be better though to come out and make sure Shane and Brad's behaviour didn't make you leave. They can behave well, believe it or not."

I rolled my eyes slightly; I doubted Shane's behaviour could ever improve but I didn't say anything, this was Shane's band mate and friend after all.

"They can get a little competitive when it comes to pretty girls." He continued.

I felt myself blush at the use of the word 'pretty'.

"There wouldn't be any point of me trying to persuade you to come back to the party?" He smiled crookedly.

"I don't think so." I said shaking my head. "I'm not really in the partying mood."

"That's o.k." He smiled. "I'll stay here with you then."

* * *

Shane's Prov

"I can't believe she just took off, I mean who does she think she is Cinderella." I ranted as I paced in front of the marble fire place in the living area of our pent house apartment.

"Did you try and find her?" Jason asked walking out of the kitchen to sit on the seat opposite me to listen to my ranting.

"Shane Grey does not go looking for some girl." I scoffed.

"Why not? You like her enough to spend two and a half hours complaining about her disappearing on you." Jason said matter of factly.

I began shaking my head in disagreement but before I could voice my disagreement the large oak door was pushed opened with more force than necessary making it bang off the wall.

"Sorry." Nate apologised quickly closing the door behind him.

"Where were you?" Jason asked, like a mother hen.

"Waiting for the car to come back to the concert hall to pick me up." Nate answered plopping himself down on the marble steps to take off his shoes.

"But the other car was waiting when Shane and I decided to come home."

"Yeah, I know but I got it to leave a friend home."

"Friend?" Jason asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Nate laughed. "Is it hard to believe I've other friends besides you two?"

Jason and I raised our eyebrows simultaneously.

"Who is she?" I asked immediately.

"Not everyone's obsessed with girls, Shane." Nate answered in a mocking tone making me pull a face at him.

"So it wasn't a girl?" Jason asked.

"No it was a girl." Nate answered making Jason and myself laugh. "But she's just a friend."

"So, who is she?" I pressed.

"Mitchie Torres." Nate answered.

"The girl I was talking to." I asked a slight bitter taste in my mouth.

"Yeah." He answered getting up from the marble steps and making his way over to the more comfortable 'L' shaped cream sofa.

"So, do you like…fancy her?" Saying the 'F' word sent a strange uncomfortable fiery feeling swirling around my stomach.

"No, I mean she's pretty and everything but I think she would be more friend material than girlfriend." Nate smiled silencing the fiery feeling in my stomach.

"That's good." Jason smiled from the Barker Lounger. "Cause Shane really likes her."

"Really?" Nate smiled teasingly.

"No." I objected quickly.

"Liar." Jason laughed.

"Now, now Jase you know Shane Grey doesn't tie himself down." Nate said.

"True." I said as I nodded in agreement at Nate's statement.

"Sort of lucky you don't anyway." Nate continued making me stop nodding.

"Why?"

"Because she's immune to your _charms_." Nate laughed tauntingly.

His taunting ignited the competitive streak in me, "Well I haven't got a long enough chance to unleash the full potential of my charms so we don't know if she's immune just yet." I answered confidently.

But Nate just laughed as he pushed himself off the sofa, "Try all you want, but I'm telling you she'll not be interested."

"We'll see." I said arrogantly.

"Feel free to try." Nate laughed walking towards the hallway that led to his bedroom. "I'm sure Jason and I will have a good laugh at her blowing you off." He laughed once more before disappearing down the hallway.

I frowned after him, he was wrong no girl didn't want to be with Shane Grey, well besides from…but I wouldn't think about that I'd concentrate on proving Nate wrong Mitchie won't be able to resist when I lay on the charm with no interruptions.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is just a little filler chapter because everything happens so fast in this story I had to find a way of slowing it down, so apologies if you hate fillers lol.**

Mitchie's Prov

I woke up late the next morning; we'd stayed longer at the after party than I had originally planned and it was all because of Nate. We talked non stop about music, movies and his career then as if we were old friends we spent ages talking about our families and friends.

I did cringe away from the subject of friends scared that my opinion on his friend, _Shane_, would close our conversation and he would get up and leave but he didn't, he seemed to know where I was coming from but also told me not to believe everything the media prints.

After our conversation, he managed to persuade me to go back to the party, which I enjoyed when I found out Shane and Brad had both left, where he introduced me to the band that played for Connect 3 and I introduced him to Caitlyn and Ella.

"Mitchie, are you awake?" Caitlyn asked her voice ruff with sleep.

"Yep." I answered readjusting myself so I was sitting up straight on my single bed so I could see her on one of the air mattresses on my bedroom floor.

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"Yeah, it was fun when I wasn't being hit on by arrogant egotistical pop stars." I giggled.

"I wish I'd seen those two fighting over you." Caitlyn giggled quietly so she didn't wake Ella who was sleeping soundly on the air mattress beside her.

Caitlyn spoke again when we contained our laughter, this time she was more serious and prompt herself up so she was looking right at me when she asked, "Do you like Nate?"

"Of course, I like him." I said confusedly, did it not show last night?

"Mitch, maybe I didn't make my question clear, I mean do you like him, like him?"

I shook my head frantically, "Gosh no, I mean he's cute and everything but he's just a friend."

"Oh right." Caitlyn mumbled as she sank back into the mattress and began chewing on her lip embarrassedly.

"O.M.G." I squeaked excitedly. "You like him!"

"No, I don't." She muttered, as her cheeks started to take on a pinky tinge.

"Are you sure?" I smirked at her as I reached for my cell phone on top of my night stand and waving it from side to side. "I could put in a good word for you."

"YOU GOT HIS NUMBER!" Caitlyn squealed getting up from her air mattress and jumping onto the bed beside me, forgetting Ella was still sleeping.

Shane's Prov

"So, what did you's talk about last night?" I tried to ask conversationally as I pushed my cereal about the bowl with my spoon.

"Mitchie and me?" Nate asked, as if he didn't know.

"Yeah." I tried to sound indifferent.

"Loads of stuff." Nate answered vaguely, sitting down on the sofa beside me.

"Like what kind of stuff?" I asked, trying to keep my cool façade up.

"Movies, music, books just normal stuff it was nice I haven't really had a proper conversation like that with a girl without them trying to come on to me in ages."

"And what part of your conversation did I come up in?" Playing it cool wasn't getting me my answers fast enough.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to break." Nate laughed.

"So, are you gonna tell me what she said about me?" I asked impatiently.

"She said she thinks you're a bit egotistical with all the different girls."

"Its part of the rock-star image what does she expect?" I asked confusedly.

Nate muttered something under his breath that I didn't catch before speaking loud enough for me to hear again, "I think she expects a gentleman not a womaniser."

"I don't see why I'm letting this _girl_ bother me so much."

"Because she bruised your ego." Nate offered with a smirk.

"She did not." I answered too fast making him chuckle. "Anyway, it's not like we'll ever find out which of us would be right about her anyway since we'll never see her again."

"I dunno about you but I plan on seeing her again." Nate mumbled. "I got her number last night so we could hang out I really like Mitchie, I think she'd be a really good friend to have."

"You have her number!?" I couldn't help but shout. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Give it to me." If I had her number I'd have a better shot at getting her to go out with me and prove Nate wrong.

"Sorry no can do, I only have it because I promised I wouldn't give it to you or Brad." Nate said apologetically.

_Beep! Beep!_

"Speak of the devil." Nate chuckled picking up his phone and getting up from the sofa.

"Wait, that's her?" I asked getting up and following him. "Ask her can I have her number now, she might've changed her mind."

"Trust me Shane she doesn't want you to have her number she said if I gave it to you or him she'd post my number on the internet."

"Well I'll just put your number on the internet if you don't give me hers." I threatened.

"Then I'll just put yours up." Nate countered walking into his room. "You got to admit this makes our little wager more interesting." He smirked before closing his door in my face.

* * *

I spent my first day off in a year stuck in the house, Nate had stayed in his room after our conversation this morning and when I listened at his door – every hour on the hour – he was still texting, so I remained in the house in case on the off chance Mitchie might invite him out so I could tag along too.

"Is he still texting Mitchie?" Jason asked from the sofa as I walked back into the living room.

"How would I know?" I asked shrugging as if I hadn't just been listening outside Nate's door.

"Cause you were just listening outside his door."

"No I wasn't, I just dropped something…" I let my lame excuse trail off as Jason rolled his eyes at me. "O.k. I was listening." I admitted.

"And is he still texting her?" Jason asked again.

"Well he's still texting but it can't still be her, what would they have to talk about for so long?" I asked stroppily sitting down beside him.

"I dunno." Jason shrugged. "Maybe they have a lot in common."

"Or he really does like her and he lied to my face last night." I pouted.

"He doesn't fancy her; he wouldn't try anything on with a girl you obviously really like."

"I don't _fancy_ her it's just if he fancied her it would compromise our little wager about her." I argued.

"Sure you don't." Nate laughed coming into the living room behind us.

"I don't, I mean sure she's pretty well a little more than pretty when she smiles and her nose scrunches up in that little cute way but…" My sentence trailed off because both my friends were looking at me with knowing grins. "I don't fancy her!"

"Finally off the phone." Jason smiled at Nate ignoring my denial, which I was thankful for because it got the heat off me.

"Yeah, Mitchie had to go for something to eat with her parents, but she's gonna text me later so we can make plans for the weekend." Nate answered as he got comfortable in the Barker Lounger.

"Plans? This weekend?" I questioned trying to sound cool.

"Yeah we were thinking about going shopping this weekend and grabbing lunch as well." Nate smiled.

"Oh." I said casually faking interest in whatever was on the flat screen above the fireplace. It was silent for a while before I couldn't take it anymore, "Aren't you going to invite me along?"

"No." Nate scoffed. "You have to charm her on your own time."

"How can I do that if you won't give me her number?"

"I dunno that's your problem." Nate laughed.

"Why don't you get Nate to find out stuff about her for you?" Jason said not taken his eyes off the T.V. making Nate and I look at him in shock Jason rarely had legal ideas never mind good ones.

"That's a good idea." I admitted before looking at Nate pleadingly.

"No, no way." Nate began protesting.

"Please, please, please, please."

"Find out the stuff you want to know by yourself."

"C'mon Nate I'll just use it as conversation starters with her. Please help me out just a little bit." I pleaded. "Plus if I do use the stuff you find out for me and I fail it'll be even funnier for you." I offered to humour him, course it would work.

"That would be funny, Nate." Jason agreed.

"Fine." Nate sighed in defeat.


	3. Chapter 3

Shane's Prov

"So, you'll be tactful when you're asking her questions about herself?" I asked nervously.

"Shane, the questions I'll ask her are one's I'll not know the answers to either and I'll be genuinely interested." Nate answered as he smoothed down the collar of his blue checked shirt.

"Oh, right." I answered feeling slightly disheartened at the fact Nate didn't think I'd be interested…which I would be…only because it would make this whole proving Nate wrong happen faster…right?

"Shane?" Nate shouted waving his hand in front of my face. "Where's your head at?"

"Nothing." I said quickly. "So, what all do you know about her already?"

"I know her best friends are called Ella and Caitlyn and they've been friends since pre-school, she's an only child, she's reading the 'Twilight' Saga right now, her favourite movie is 'The Proposal' and she likes music you can dance to." Nate rhymed off as if she'd just told him, the uncomfortable fiery feeling in my stomach returned for a moment. "O.k. dude I gotta go I'll let you know what I find out." He smiled patting me on the shoulder before disappearing out the door.

The feeling in my stomach grew more pronounced when I heard the front door of our apartment shut, I didn't like it.

"Eugh." I groaned slightly patting my stomach to try and make it go away.

"What's wrong with you?" Jason asked stopping in Nate's bedroom doorway.

"Nothing, it's just unfair Nate gets it a lot easier in this wager." I moaned.

"I suppose." Jason shrugged. "What's wrong with your stomach though?" He asked eyeing my hand that was now rubbing circles on my stomach.

"It just feels weird." I grimaced stopping the movement right away, I didn't like showing weakness.

"What does it feel like?" He pushed.

"It's like an uncomfortable sickly burning feeling."

"Sounds like jealousy." He commented.

I snorted once, "I don't get jealous." Do I?

Mitchie's Prov

I fastened my thick gold belt just as the door bell rang, and skipped happily to the door I was excited about spending the day with Nate, who wouldn't be hanging out with someone as famous as Nate but it was a lot more than that for me making friends with Nate was like being reunited with a long lost brother.

I opened the door quickly, to make sure this wasn't a dream, it wasn't he was waiting smiling as he took off his large mirror lensed Aviators and his usually artistically styled hair was in a more natural curly disarray.

"Disguise." He smiled when he saw me examining his hair.

"Ah right." I smiled and before I could help myself I was rubbing it to mess it up more. "Sorry." I apologised when my thoughts caught up to my actions, it was hard to believe how comfortable I could be around someone famous.

"It's o.k. I know you're just trying to help me blend in." He chuckled. "Here let me help you out." He smiled cheekily before messing my hair too.

* * *

"Nice car." I commented once we parked up outside mall.

"Yeah it's a…"

"Jaguar XK." I interrupted.

"She knows cars." Nate smiled approvingly.

"Not really, I just seen the name on the back when I was getting in at my house." I laughed making him laugh too.

"O.k. so I have a little confession to make." Nate said sheepishly as we entered the mall. "Shane wants me to tell him everything I find out about you today."

"Why?" I asked confusedly.

"He wants conversation starters." Nate shrugged.

I rolled my eyes, "He can have as many conversation starters as he wants but I don't plan to talk back to him."

"Mitchie, c'mon give him a break I think he really likes you." Nate said pleadingly.

I rolled my eyes slightly but bit my tongue I wasn't going to wreck our day by telling Nate there was no-way _Shane Grey_ ever had a chance with me and just gave him a little shrug before leading the way to my favourite shop.

* * *

The day was going great especially for Nate because no-one had recognised him. We had managed to go to every shop in the mall in just two hours and now we were sitting in the food court munching on fast food.

"This is great." Nate beamed. "I haven't been able to sit in a food court without a bodyguard in ages."

I laughed at his little triumphant smile.

"So, I've been putting off the interrogation all day, I think we should get down to it." Nate smiled.

"Is this just going to be for Shane's benefit?" I couldn't help pulling a face while I was asking.

"I'm interested too." He smiled.

I frowned playfully at him making him laugh.

"Fine." I sighed. "Ask away."

"What's your favourite animal?"

"Spiders." I lied.

"Mitchie, play fair." Nate scolded.

"Fine." I sighed dramatically making him laugh again. "Pandas are my favourite animals."

"Favourite flowers?"

* * *

Nate had continued his interrogation of my favourites until we finished eating then on the ride home he moved onto my childhood.

"I can't believe you done musicals when you were younger." Nate laughed when I confessed I was Peppermint Patty in a Snoopy play.

"Don't laugh I know for a fact you did musicals too before you got all famous."

"True." He admitted as he switched off the engine outside my house. "But I was way cooler characters than Peppermint Patty." He chuckled again.

I narrowed by eyes at him before hitting him playfully on the arm.

"Ow." He winged jokingly making me frown at him. "O.k. I'm sorry." He chuckled. "How about I make it up to you by making you dinner tonight?"

"Dinner at yours? But won't…"

"Shane be there?" He smiled as he finished my sentence.

I nodded in response.

"Yeah he will, but it'll be fine Mitch. He'll be on his best behaviour, promise." He finished by putting on his best puppy dog pout.

I heaved a sigh of defeat, "Fine."

The puppy pout vanished immediately and a triumphant smile took its place, "We live in the Ocean View Apartments number 26 it's on the top floor."

I couldn't help but smile he sounded so excited, "What time should I be there?"

"Six o'clock." He smiled as I got out of his car.

"I'll be there." I smiled closing the door.

"You can bring Caitlyn and Ella too." He called before winding his electric window up and pulling away from the kerb.

I am such a push over, I thought as I reached for my cell.

Shane's Prov

Second day off in a year, and I'm stuck in this apartment again waiting around for Nate to come home.

"Dude, stop it." Jason snapped.

"Stop what?"

"Shaking your foot, you're shaking the seat and I'm trying to play this." He complained gesturing to the game consol and T.V.

I was about to argue and say I wasn't shaking my foot but I was, the leg I had crossed over the other was shaking up and down impatiently.

"Sorry." I apologised making it stop.

Jason went back to playing his game and it was silent for a while before the sound of his game stopped again.

"Stop looking at the door." Jason said making me look around from the door to face him. "You don't seem as uninterested in Mitchie as you try to make out."

"Don't be ridiculous I don't know her enough to feel anything for her not that I would anyway, this is just about proving Nate wrong."

"What ever you wanna believe, dude." Jason chuckled to himself turning back to his game.

I was about to argue but I was interrupted by Nate.

"I'm home!" Nate smiled as he closed the door behind him. "What did you guys get up to today?"

"Pretty laid back; couple of DVDs some video games…"

But I interrupted Jason's play by play of his day, "So, what did you find out?"

"She likes pandas, chocolate from Britain cause it's sweeter, her favourite flowers are pink daisies, lilies and freesia, her favourite shop is 'Old Navy', her favourite perfume is 'Fantasy' and her favourite aftershave is 'White Diesel'."

"That's all you found out? You spent like half the day with her." I complained.

"Dude, chill out I found out a lot more. I'll fill you in while I get dinner ready."

"Yes!" Jason exclaimed beside me making us both look at him. "What?" He asked innocently. "I like it when Nate cooks. What's the special occasion?"

"Mitchie and her friends are coming over." Nate shrugged as if it were no big thing.

"What do you mean they're coming over?" I asked feeling my breathing spike.

"Just that." Nate answered with a laugh. "Looks like you get to use some of those conversation starters sooner than you thought."

* * *

Mitchie's Prov

"I can't believe were going to hang out with rock-stars." Ells beamed as we exited the glass lift and started down a large red and gold decorated corridor.

I rolled my eyes slightly it was getting harder to imagine Nate was some big famous rockstar because he was so normal around me.

"Do I look o.k.?" Caitlyn asked nervously. "I want to look at least half descent."

"For Nate?" Ella smiled cheekily making Caitlyn narrow her eyes at her.

"You look drop dead gorgeous, Caity." I smiled at her.

"Are you sure?" Caitlyn asked touching her hair that was in an elegant side pony tail.

"Course we're sure." Ella smiled as we came to the door that had the number twenty six on it in gold figures.

I leaned forward and knocked on the door twice, there was some shuffling on the other side that had Ella squeaking with excitement and Caitlyn smoothing down her top.

Shane's Prov

I gave myself two quick sprays and rushed out of my bedroom the moment I heard the knocks on the door.

I stayed by the entrance to the living area from the bedroom hallway to listen to their response to the apartment and was about to go out and introduce myself after it but that's when I caught sight of her. How could I have forgotten how pretty she was?

She looked stunning in a checked blue and black shirt dress with a think black belt around the middle, her looks made me feel insignificant I had to go and check myself again.

Mitchie's Prov

I was expecting Nate to open the door but it was Jason who answered and ushered us into the gorgeous apartment, it obviously was the pent house suite because of the sheer size of it. There were two marble steps that led into the living area from the door and instead of the bright colours like in the hall their apartment colour motive was very neutral with cream walls, varying shades of white furniture and a thick cream carpet the most striking feature in the room though was the beautiful marble fire place.

"Wow." We said in unison.

"It's pretty impressive isn't it?" Jason smiled.

"That's an understatement." I smiled back at him.

"Well, Nate's on the balcony, he decided to barbecue." He smiled gesturing in the direction of the balcony.

"I'm gonna go say hi." I smiled. "You coming Caitlyn?" I smiled cheekily at her knowing she wouldn't pass up a chance to see Nate.

"Does anyone want a drink?" Jason offered.

"I'll grab one with you." Ella smiled following him.

When they disappeared Caitlyn and I went in the direction Jason pointed, and found the sliding door that was hidden behind the fireplace that led onto the balcony.

"Hi." I smiled stepping onto the balcony.

"Hey Mitchie." Nate beamed putting down the pair of tongs he was using to flip burgers and came over to hug me.

"This is my friend Caitlyn, you guys met the other night at the party." I smiled as we pulled away from each other.

"Hi." Nate smiled reaching out to shake Caitlyn's hand. "Caitlyn's a pretty name." He complimented as he let go of her hand.

I wanted to squeak with excitement and nudge her, he liked her.

Shane's Prov

"This is ridiculous." I found myself saying to myself as I twisted and turned to see myself in the mirror, "I'm going on like such a girl. Of course I'll look good enough for her; I'm Shane Grey for crying out loud." And with that I made my way out to the living area, when I laid on the charm she'd be falling at my feet.

But when I got there she wasn't in the living room, but Jason and another brunette girl was and they were in a deep conversation about birds.

"Jase, where's everyone else?" I asked interrupting their conversation.

"Out on the balcony." He answered.

"Thanks." I muttered as I made my way towards the balcony.

"Well, I'm gonna get a drink."

I froze just before I'd be in sight of anyone on the balcony, her voice was just as I remembered, very sweet and bell like.

I started towards the kitchen again; laying on the charm would be easier without an audience.

"Hey I thought you were going out to the balcony." Jason said as I walked past them.

"I'm thirsty." I said quickly.

Mitchie's Prov

"Do you want me to come?" Caitlyn asked, her blush from Nate's compliment just beginning to fade.

"No, you stay and keep Nate company." I smiled, winking at her when Nate wasn't looking.

I made my way back into the living area to find Ella and Jason in a deep conversation on the creamish white 'L' shape sofa, I didn't listen in given them their privacy instead and made my way into the kitchen I was actually quite thirsty.

I pushed the two way doors opened to come face to face with my worst nightmare.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Hi." I managed to say without grimacing as I walked past him to the sink.

"I didn't know you's were here yet." He continued leaning against the cupboards beside me, even his stance was arrogant.

"We've only just arrived." I answered as politely as I could - it was his house after all – while I continued looking for a glass to get myself a drink.

"Here." He said leaning closer to me and opening the cupboard above the sink and pulling out a glass. His close proximity to me didn't have me cringing away instead my heart started thumping erratically, which confused me. "There you go." He shot his Shane Grey camera smile at me – which had my heart back to its normal speed it was so fake - as he held out the glass for me to take.

"Thanks." I murmured reaching for it, but doing so I got a whiff of his aftershave. "White Diesel?" I asked without thinking.

"Yeah." He smiled. "Is it too strong?" He asked, his eye widening slightly as if he were worried about my opinion.

"No." I said coolly I didn't buy his little act. "I'd be able to pick it out anywhere it's a favourite of mine." I caught on when the sentence left my mouth, "I suppose you already know that though."

"What?" His tone and eyes were full of fake innocence.

"I told Nate that earlier today, he probably told you considering his interrogation was for you as well as him."

"I have no idea…"

I rolled my eyes, "If you want to start a conversation with me try saying 'hi what's up?' instead of getting your friend to spy on me and then pretending we have loads in common." And with that I set down the glass and walked out of the kitchen leaving him in a state of shock.

"Hey Mitch, where's your drink?" Caitlyn asked walking towards me.

"Not thirsty." I answered walking back towards the balcony.

Shane's Prov

That did not just happen.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just wanted to say a quick thank you for all the really nice reviews and to those of you who have added this story to your favourites/alerts.**

Mitchie's Prov

"Mitchie!"

My mum's voice rang through my dream, proving I was close to conciseness so I gave in and opened my eyes.

"Mitchie!" She called again.

I stretched to work out the kinks before I answered her, "Coming." I shouted back as I pushed the covers off me and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

Dinner had gone better after I had talked to Shane, because he didn't bother me at all after it, except a small wave good bye when we were leaving.

I suddenly felt a little guilty maybe I bruised his ego a little too much boys like Shane need their ego boosted. I could've been a little nicer, gawd I'm such a push over, I was never this easy to walk over till I met Shane Grey I thought as I pulled on my robe and walked downstairs.

"In here, Mitch." My mum called as I hit the bottom of the stairs.

I followed her voice into the living room, compared to Nate's apartment last night the pale yellow walls of my living room seemed brighter.

"Yeah, mum?" I asked.

But I couldn't see her past the gigantic panda teddy sitting on all fours on the wooden coffee table in the middle of the room.

"Wow." I smiled brightly. "Thanks mum."

"It's not from me." My mum said standing up so I could see her past the teddy.

"Dad?" I asked.

"It wasn't him either; it was delivered this morning a long with a letter." She said gesturing to the A4 ivory envelope.

I picked it up and examined the writing, it wasn't one I recognised. I turned it over to rip open the seal but the water mark on the seal stopped me. It was a panda with the letters 'WWF' under it, why would the 'World Wildlife Fund' be sending me giant panda teddies? I ripped the letter open in one swift motion and slid out the contents to get my answer.

There were two pieces inside one was a white piece of paper and the other a cream coloured A4 sheet of card. I read the piece of paper first.

"_Dear Miss Torres, _

_A pair of panda cubs have been adopted in your name, they're called 'Ming Ming' and 'Si Si'. You'll be updated every month on their progress at the Mishan Conservation Project in China…_"

"Who's it from?" My mum asked eagerly.

"The Word Wildlife Fund." I answered confusedly. "Someone adopted a pair of panda cubs in my name."

"Do you know who?"

"Um…no, I mean only a few people know I'm obsessed with pandas and they're you, dad, Ella and Caitlyn."

"Does that boy you hung out with yesterday know?" She asked.

"Yeah he does." I smiled, of course it would be Nate he would be the only one with enough money to adopt two pandas. "I better go phone him to say thanks."

"Should I be worried about this boy I haven't met yet buying you stuff." She asked behind me.

"Nope." I smiled reassuringly over my shoulder. "I'll get you some magazines to read up on him." I giggled leaving the room and going upstairs to get my cell.

_Ring! Ring!_

"_Hello_." A groggy voice answered, was it really that early?

"Thank you." I sung down the phone.

"_Mitchie?_" He asked. "_Do you know what time it is?_"

"I know it's early, sorry, but it's your own fault really the delivery guy left the teddy and letter here like fifteen minutes ago."

"_Huh?_"

"The panda teddy and the adoption stuff for the cubs in China." I answered confusedly.

"_Mitch, they weren't from me_." He answered.

"Oh." I said embarrassedly. "But if it wasn't from you, or my parents, who would know it was like a perfect gift for me."

"_Well, there is one other person that knows you like pandas_." Nate said.

He didn't have to say the name for me to know who he was talking about. "He wouldn't." I started to protest not that I believed myself, Shane Grey was capable of anything really he did have his best friend spy on me.

"_Maybe it wasn't him was there a note or anything?_"

"I didn't check the teddy. I'll do it now, hold on." I said before running downstairs to where the teddy was.

I looked around it, with my mum looking at me as if I'd lost it until I found three simple words on the tag on it's ear, to confirm it was Shane, they were, "_Hey What's up?_"

"It was him." I said into the phone in disbelief.

"_Wow. Guess that's him apologising for getting me to spy on you_."

"Maybe but I don't want gifts from him Nate."

"_Mitch, it was a nice thought_."

"Yeah it was." I admitted reluctantly.

"_Well just enjoy it_." He laughed

"Fine." I sighed. "Tell him I said thanks but he didn't have to."

"_I will and I'll call you later_."

"O.k. bye." I smiled as I hung up.

Well, I guess this was sort of a sweet gesture I thought as I struggled upstairs with the teddy.

Shane's Prov

"You got her panda cubs." Nate exclaimed coming into the living area.

"No, I adopted panda cubs in her name." I corrected.

"Same thing." He tutted.

"Not really." I objected. "The way you said it sounds like I brought her panda cubs."

Nate rolled his eyes at me.

"You must really like her to do something this extreme." Jason said, I wasn't even aware he was paying attention to us. "You didn't even do that for…" But before Jason could say anymore Nate interrupted, thankfully.

"Shane fancies Mitchie. Shane fancies Mitchie." He sang like a child.

"I don't fancy her. I'm just laying on the charm." I objected but a small annoying voice in my head and Nate snorted at the objection.

"Sure dude, whatever you say." Jason and Nate said at the same time.

* * *

Mitchie's Prov

The presents didn't stop with the pandas, every morning for a week I woke up to my favourite things like a large bar of 'Dairy Milk' Chocolate, a bouquet of pink daisies, lilies and freesia, a CD of some of my favourite songs, a bottle of my favourite perfume and a tennis bracelet with my name inscribed on it.

It was sweet at the start some of my barriers about Shane Grey even started to come down maybe he just wanted to show me he was genuinely sorry but then the bracelet arrived – in all of its fourteen carat goodness – then it started to feel as if he were trying to buy me. It made me angry to think he thought I would be won over with sparkly things that I was that shallow, so I boxed everything I got and headed to their apartment.

Shane opened the door after the second knock.

"Hey." His smile brightened when he seen me before leaning against the door cockily. "Did you get my gifts?"

"Yeah, Shane…"

"Wore you down." He smiled arrogantly, interrupting me.

"No." I answered too quickly making him laugh. "I brought everything back." I said shoving the box of stuff into his arms and dumping the panda teddy at his feet stopping his little fit of laughter.

"They were gifts." He objected.

"And they were nice up to the tennis bracelet."

"That bracelet is fourteen carats any girl would love it." He said confusedly.

I frowned at his ignorance, "If you cared, you'd realise I'm not just any girl. I can't just be bought over."

"I do care and I know that." His objection came to a speedy halt as if he were embarrassed about what he just said. "Look just keep the presents."

His "this conversation is over" tone made my blood boil, "You can keep them." I said harshly. "Because I don't want anything that reminds me of you." And with that I turned on my heel and stormed down the hallway.

Shane's Prov

I let out a growl of frustration as I entered the apartment slamming the door, throwing the box down roughly and kicking the panda teddy across the room, what the hell did that girl want from me? She doesn't appreciate being given gifts; she doesn't want me asking a friend to find stuff out for me so I can start a conversation with her.

"What's wrong with you?" Jason asked eyeing the box and teddy.

"Mitchie, she's what's wrong." I growled.

"What happened?" He asked concernedly.

"I buy her a couple of little things and she thinks I'm trying to buy her affection." I complained pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Why are you letting it bother you so much?" Jason asked picking up the teddy. "It was just a bet…right? Now you don't have to try with her anymore."

"Suppose." I muttered making my way to my room, but I couldn't get Mitchie's and my conversation out of my head especially my confession.


	5. Chapter 5

Mitchie's Prov

Once my temper had simmered down I started feeling bad about how I treated Shane, he was trying his best to be nice to me and I chewed him out. I couldn't accept gifts graciously from Shane because I didn't like him which explained my seeing the gifts as him trying to buy me over.

I tried to ring Nate the next day so I could apologise to Shane, unfortunately I dumped the card that came with the bouquet of flowers that had his number on it, but he wouldn't take my call. I tried to call everyday for a week after that but he didn't accept any of them.

"_Sorry Mitch, he said he's too busy to come to th_e _phone_." Nate said apologetically.

"It's o.k." I sighed.

"_How about we hang out today?_"He asked.

"Sounds good." I said dully.

"_He'll come around, Mitch._" Nate promised.

"Maybe." I shrugged. "So, where do you want to hang out today?"

Once we decided that we'd just lay low at my house - which would go without any interruptions because my parents were both working - we hung up and I tried to fix myself up before he arrived.

* * *

"Hey." Nate smiled when I opened the door,

I couldn't stop myself from checking to see if Shane had come with him.

"He didn't come." Nate said softly.

"No biggy." I shrugged trying to smile but Nate didn't seem to buy it.

"Jason and him went to some new mall opening thing." He said as I gestured for him to come in.

"Did you need to go?" I asked quickly. "Because you could have if you wanted too instead of hanging out here."

"Nah, the label said we were just asked to cut the ribbon not perform or anything so I wasn't really needed not as much as I'm needed here anyway." He smiled lopsidedly nudging me gently.

"I'm fine." I lied fallen onto my light blue couch.

"No you're not." He chuckled sitting down beside me. "You hate the idea of Shane being hurt because of how harsh you were."

"That's not true." I lied. "My harshness probably didn't even make him flinch."

"You'd be surprised at the effect you have on him." Nate objected.

"Nate, you can't really think with the number of girls Shane Grey has following him around that he actually cares what one girl said to him." I tutted as if I believed it myself, when someone's as rude as I was to him of course it's going to have some sort of effect on you.

"Yeah I do think that, and if you're being honest you do too."

"I was a bit harsh." I admitted.

"A bit, you really tore him a new one." Nate laughed.

"You're not making me feel better." I frowned.

"You'll not feel better till you apologise to him anyway." Nate shrugged. "I take it that's the reason you keep calling for him?"

"Yeah, I was really mean, I need to apologise."

"Well let's go back to mine and we can wait for them to come home and you can apologise then." He suggested.

"Do think that would be a good idea, just showing up like that?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah." Nate smiled. "The sooner the better." He said pushing himself off the sofa and offering me his hand to help me up.

* * *

We were supposed to be watching T.V while we waited in Nate's apartment, but I couldn't focus on the screen instead I was consumed by the thought of how I was going to word my apology.

"Stop worrying." Nate said soothingly given my hand a tight squeeze. "Everything will be fine."

"What if he just like storms past me and refuses to talk to me?" I asked nervously.

"He'll not, he really likes you Mitchie and I mean really _likes_ you."

I felt a little tingle in my stomach when Nate finished his sentence, "Shane, likes me, likes me?"

Nate laughed as he nodded, "Course he does, you should have seen the hissy fit he threw because of you he doesn't do that over just anyone."

"Did he tell you he liked me?" I found myself enjoying this conversation more than I should.

"He doesn't have to; it's obvious he does even if he doesn't want to show it."

"Why wouldn't he want to show it?" I asked interestedly.

"Shane, had a…"

But I didn't get to hear his explanation because the door opened then and Jason walked in.

"Hey." Nate and I said together.

"Hey…Oh…Mitchie…why are you here?" Jason asked a panicky edge to his voice.

"She's here to apologise to Shane." Nate answered taking in his friend's uncomfortable stance just like I was.

"Is that a problem?" I asked confusedly.

Jason was about to respond but airy giggling interrupted.

"Hey guys." Shane smiled, coming into view with a plastic blonde at his side.

I felt my face crumple as I eyed how she was wrapped around him, as they came to a halt in the middle of the room. She had one arm swung around his shoulders and her other hand was on his chest as she traced his collar bone with her index finger through his shirt, it was as if she were posing for some photo shoot. Where his stance was more casual with one arm lightly around her waist that I watched fall to his side when he seen me.

"Mitchie?" His smile faltered into a more confused expression.

"Hi." I tried to smile and regain my composure.

"What are you doing here?" He asked his tone had a slight edge to it as if I wasn't welcome.

I stopped myself from telling him to shove his attitude where the sun don't shine as I answered, "I was here to see you." My answer made the blonde twig scowl. "To apologise for the other day."

"Oh." He genuinely looked shocked at my answer.

"Shaney." The blonde cooed in his ear as she pushed herself up against him to gain his attention. "Aren't you gonna show me your platinum record award?"

I had to swallow back vomit at her actions.

"Um…" Shane hesitated looking between us.

"Please." She murmured kissing his cheek.

The minute her lips collided with his cheek I had the over whelming urge to drag her off him by her hair but I resisted, "I have to go." I said quickly making everyone look at me questioningly.

"Really?" Nate asked confusedly.

I nodded quickly as I gathered my things, "So I'm sorry and I'll call you…Nate later." And with that I rushed out the door.

Shane's Prov

I looked after her in a daze she apologised? That's not what I was expecting.

"Shane?" Nate said through his teeth. "Can we talk to you in the kitchen for a sec? Your _friend_ can stay here."

I shuffled behind Nate and Jason into the kitchen, like a child about to be told off because that's exactly what was about to happen I've heard that tone before.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Nate hissed.

"I told you bringing her home was a bad idea." Jason muttered.

"Well I didn't know Mitchie would be here." I argued.

"You should've." Nate commented. "She's been ringing you all week to apologise it was only a matter of time before she came over here to do it to your face."

"I didn't know that's why she was ringing." I frowned.

"How could you not know that?" Nate frowned.

"Because I didn't think she cared enough to apologise." I confessed. "That last time I seen her, her tone was so…final…I thought…"

"I know what you thought and I know why you thought it dude but you thought wrong she cares…a lot."

"What?"

"She likes you like you like her." Nate said throwing his arms up in expiration.

My heart thumped erratically at Nate's news so there was no point in denying the fact I fancied Mitchie. Then it came to a sudden stop when I realised what I just done. "Crap."

* * *

Mitchie's Prov

It was ironic really I started to feel something for Shane Grey just to have all my earlier thoughts about him confirmed but the part of me that was saying 'I told you so' didn't make it hurt any less.

My phone didn't stop ringing from the moment I got home that day, it was an unknown number and I didn't know how I knew but I knew it was Shane, and I didn't want to hear anything he had to say. After the third day of endless phone calls I switched my phone off and didn't turn it back on again, a clean break from _Shane Grey_ was what I needed.

_Knock! Knock!_

"Mitchie!" My mum called upstairs to me. "Someone's at the door for you."

I peeked quickly out of my bedroom window that overlooked the front of my house, if there was a silver Porsche Carrera in the driveway I'd climb out the window and down the trellis so he couldn't talk to me but to my relief it was Nate's midnight blue Jaguar in the driveway.

I rushed quickly downstairs I hadn't seen Nate since that day at the flat, I should've realised our relationship would be de-railed slightly as I tried to ignore Shane.

"Hi." I smiled happily when I seen him waiting at the bottom of the stairs with my mum.

"I'll let you's be to talk." My mum smiled. "It was lovely to meet you, Nate."

"You too Mrs Torres." Nate smiled politely. "Hey." He smiled brightly at me when she left, embracing me in a huge hug whenever I hit the bottom step. "Do you want to take a walk?" He asked as we let go of each other.

* * *

We wandered to the nearby park in silence but the minute our feet hit the smooth tarmac of the park's path, Nate broke the silence.

"So, did your phone break or something?" He asked casually, but I knew what was coming.

"No, I just…just turned it off." I admitted sheepishly.

"Because of all his phone calls, right." It wasn't a question just a general statement.

"Nate, do we really have to talk about him it's been ages since I seen you, can we not just hang out?" I pleaded.

"I think we should talk about him, he's miserable Mitch."

"Yeah, I'm sure that blonde twig is just ruining his life." I said sarcastically.

He frowned at me before speaking again, "He hates the fact he hurt you. He really likes you."

I felt the same tingly feeling in my stomach like the day Nate told me Shane liked me but I beat it back. "That's doubtful." I said rolling my eyes.

"I can see why you's like each other now you's are both as thick headed as each other." Nate scowled.

"I don't like him." I objected, anymore, anyway.

It was Nate's turn to roll his eyes, "Of course you like him, that's why you're running away."

"I am not running away." I argued.

"Yes you are, that's why you rushed outta the apartment the other day leaving a little cloud of dust as you went, that's why you turned your phone off and never turned it on again. You're running away just like he did."

"'Just like he did?'" I asked confusedly.

"Didn't you ever wonder why Shane doesn't stay with a girl for longer than a day?"

"Cause he's a womaniser." I shrugged.

"No." Nate said abruptly. "Because he was hurt before and didn't want it happening him again."

That shut me up.

"Two years ago, Shane was in love with a girl, Abigail, from home, they went everywhere together she even came on tour with us. If he didn't speak to her he would get really down, he even wrote 'Lovebug' and 'Hello Beautiful' for her. Then she decided they were getting too serious, I mean after a year, she decides they're getting too serious. Anyway, all in all she broke him."

I felt a flare of jealousy when Nate said Shane wrote songs about this stranger but I shook it off, "You mean his heart, she broke his heart."

"No I mean when she broke him, he was crushed, couldn't write songs, didn't like singing happy ones, didn't like going out, didn't like performing, for a while Jason and I thought the band was coming to an end. Then when we voiced our concerns something happened to Shane he got this whole new attitude, he was cockier, arrogant treated girls as if they were objects. But that all changed when he met you."

"Me?" I asked in shock.

"Yeah, at first he was trying to say he didn't like you and he was just trying to get you to go out with him cause no girl can resist him blah, blah, blah but Jason and I knew different the amount of effort he was putting in with you he hasn't done that for any girl since…" He trailed off to indicate he was talking about Abigail. "Mitchie he undeniably likes you."

My head was swimming with all the information Nate just gave me and I was wrecked with different emotions I still doubted Shane liked me; part of me was on a high when the last four words had left Nate's mouth and part of me felt sorry for Shane. "Are you sure, he likes me and this isn't like a rebound thing?" Doubt won.

"I can promise you now it's not a rebound thing, if it were he wouldn't have been ringing to apologise to you." Nate said earnestly.

* * *

Nate gave me a lot to think about this afternoon at the park, which explained why Caitlyn and Ella found me sitting on my bed tossing my phone from hand to hand debating the pro's and con's of turning it back on.

"Hey Mitchie, what'cha doing?" Caitlyn asked eyeing the cell phone in mid air.

"Thinking." I answered catching the phone and setting it down in front of me.

"Do you always think while throwing your phone in the air?" Ella laughed.

"No." I said shaking my head, as I started spinning my phone.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Caitlyn asked as she sat down on the futon at the bottom of my bed.

"Shane." I admitted.

"How come?" Ella asked interestedly sitting down on the bed beside me.

"Nate came by earlier and he just told me all this stuff about him."

"What was the stuff?" Caitlyn asked.

I told them everything Nate had told me about Shane's past and the girl that crushed him and what Nate had said about Shane having real feelings for me.

"That would give you a lot to think about." Caitlyn concluded.

"Not really." Ella objected. "It's really down to how Mitchie feels about Shane now."

"How did you work that out?" Caitlyn asked confusedly.

"Well, he's calling Mitchie to apologise and we know he fancies her so the ball's in Mitchie's court." Ella said simply.

"Wow, Mitch I think Sherlock Combs here is right." Caitlyn said in shock making Ella throw a pillow at her.

"So?" Ella smiled. "Do you like him?"

"I'm not sure, I'm really confused about the whole thing, how would I know if I did like him?"

"Well how did you feel when Nate told you he liked you?" Caitlyn asked.

"The first time he told me I rolled my eyes at it but then he told me the other day and I got this tingly feeling in my stomach and I liked hearing it, but then he walked in with that, blonde…_thing_ I mean he can't really like me that much that after one argument he goes and finds someone else."

Caitlyn and Ella exchanged a knowing look.

"What?" I asked slightly worried.

"You so like him." Ella grinned.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" I asked confusedly.

"When you mentioned the blonde you pulled this face." Caitlyn said pulling a face that you would pull when you were eating something sour. "And your tone got all jealous; you don't get jealous if you don't care. You're totally smitten."

"The fact he was able to hurt you too, is a big indicator you like him." Ella said.

"And the way you hated him before, we normally find faults in people we like because we're scared they'll hurt us." Caitlyn finished their deduction.

Surprisingly it all made sense; he wouldn't have a big influence over me if I didn't like him and the last couple of weeks have all been about him.

"So, now you know…" Caitlyn smiled.

"…what you gonna do?" Ella finished.

I chewed my lip as a mulled over everything I knew so far which was Shane had a hard time showing his real feelings because of his past but that didn't matter because he really liked _me_ and it was obvious I really liked him as well, so there really was only one thing I could do.

My friends squealed excitedly as I lifted my phone and turned it on. Their squeals got louder as I started dialling.

"I can't do this with you's here screaming at everything." I said as I hit the dial button. "Get out." I insisted as it started ringing.

They went without argument in a fit of giggles; chances were they'd just wait outside the door to eavesdrop but that thought didn't seem relevant when someone picked up on the other end.

"Hello." Shane answered in a deflated tone, Nate was right he did sound miserable.

"Hi." My response came out very guiltily.

"Mitchie?" His tone became more alarmed after hearing my voice.

"Yeah, it's me." I was suddenly nervous, how do you tell someone you really like him? "I just wanted to call to apologise for ignoring your…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He interrupted me quickly. "I should be sorry I mean what happened the other day, it was my fault, my stupidity, I shouldn't have…y'know."

I was stunned into silence at his apology, I never thought I'd hear of Shane Grey apologising never mind that he'd be apologising to _me_.

"Mitchie, are you still there?" Shane asked nervously.

I nodded foolishly before realising he couldn't see me, "Yeah, I'm still here."

"I understand if you never wanna talk to me again." He said quietly. "I wouldn't blame you."

"No." I objected quickly. "Course I want to talk to you and it wasn't all your fault I shouldn't have just shown up like that."

"Don't be trying to share the blame Mitchie." He protested. "It was all my fault and I really want to make it up to you."

I wanted to lighten the mood immediately since he didn't want me to apologise, "Well, you could always take me on a date." I smiled.

Shane's Prov

My heart skipped a beat and my breath came faster when she finished her sentence.

"Shane?" She asked unsurely. "Are you still there?"

"Yes." I said quickly. "I'm still here and I'd love to take you on a date."

Mitchie's Prov

I held back an excited squeal, "Just give me a time and place and I'll be there."

"How about Saturday at seven? As for the place I'll pick you up and it'll be a surprise." I could hear the smile in his voice.

My smiled was more pronounced when I answered, "That sounds great."

"I'll see you on Saturday then."

The tingly feeling in my stomach intensified at his words, "I'll see you on Saturday." I smiled hanging up.

The squeal I held in while I was on the phone couldn't be contained much longer, and it was answered by two other excited screams from outside my door.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Finally the date I know some of you have been waiting for lol. Hope you's like it! Oh! I dunno if I'll get a chance to update tomorrow since its Christmas but we'll see lol Happy Christmas everyone! **

Mitchie's Prov

Saturday came quicker than expected and before I knew it, my hair and face were being attacked by curlers and make up brushes, and then I was being pushed into my bathroom with a dress Ella picked out for me.

I had it on before I realised what dress Ella had picked out, in a moment of insanity I had splurged on a teal coloured silk strapless dress. It had elastic shirring so it stuck to your curves flatteringly and there was a fabric drape from the bust area to your hip to help accentuate your curves but the problem I had with the dress was it's length, it was incredibly short which was the reason I had hung it up when I brought it and never wore it.

"I can't wear this." I objected as I came out of the bathroom.

"Why not?" Ella frowned.

"Look how short it is." I complained.

"It'll make your legs look longer especially when you wear these." Caitlyn smiled thrusting a pair of gold sling back heeled shoes into my hand.

"Do you not think I'll look like some hussy wearing _this_ on a first date?"

"No." Ella insisted quickly. "You look amazing; do you really think I'd pick out something that I didn't think you could pull off?"

I struggled trying to find a come back to get out of wearing it but it was useless, Ella prided herself on her fashion knowledge and saying anything now would just insult her.

I sighed in defeat, "Fine, fasten me up." I said turning around to let her fasten the elastic hooks.

Shane's Prov

"Are you nervous?" Nate asked as I checked myself out in the mirror.

"Sort of." I said as I slipped on my brown blazer.

"Just 'sort of' if I was going out with the girl of my dreams I'd be freaking out." Jason commented. "I mean she thought you were a jerk, then you sort of proved her right…"

"I apologised for that." I interrupted.

"Yeah, but you still have to prove yourself to her, so tonight is basically like judgement day for you." Jason finished.

"Thanks, Jase. That doesn't make me nervous at all." I said loosing my tie because it suddenly felt like it was choking me.

"It'll be fine." Nate reassured me. "Mitchie won't be judging you, she genuinely likes you otherwise she wouldn't have said 'yes'."

His reassurance made me feel slightly better, "Do you think so?"

"I know so." Nate smiled. "You better get going though, don't want to be late."

"You're right." I said glancing at the clock. "I'll see you guys later."

Mitchie's Prov

The door bell rang as Caitlyn finished the final touches to my eye make up.

"Ah! This is so exciting." Ella squeaked as she handed me my gold purse.

"Ella, you do know we're not going on this date?" Caitlyn laughed.

"I know." Ella said a touch of disappointment in her tone. "I mean for Mitchie."

I smiled widely at them both, "Thanks for everything today."

"No problem." They chorused together.

"Ah! I'm so nervous." I giggled nervously.

"You'll be fine." Caitlyn laughed as both of them embraced me in a hug.

"Mitchie!" My mum called.

"O.k. get going." Ella insisted. "There's a little can of hair spray in your bag just in case your curls go flat and remember to apply more lip gloss every three hours because…well your stuff isn't any good…"

"Every three hours?" I whispered to Caitlyn as Ella rhymed off more stuff, "How long does she think I'll be out?"

Caitlyn giggled as she shrugged.

"…And don't forget to call us whenever your home, it doesn't matter what time it is, o.k.?"

"Yes, ma'am" I laughed before given them a quick wave and rushing downstairs.

I was expecting Shane to be in the hallway with my mum but instead it was a man who was definitely a lot older than Shane and taller.

"Hi." I said confusedly as I hit the bottom step.

"Good evening Miss Torres." The man smiled tipping his hat slightly, I didn't notice how he was dressed before but he was in a grey suit, the hat was grey too apart from the black peak, he looked like a driver. "I'm Roy and I'll be your driver this evening." I had to stop myself from laughing, I could call them.

"Hi." I smiled shaking his hand. "Just call me Mitchie."

"Have fun, sweet heart." My mum smiled as I followed Roy out.

I felt my face light up when I seen the long black limo at the end of my driveway but that quickly turned to a blush when Roy opened the door for me.

"Thanks." I mumbled embarrassedly as I got in.

Shane wasn't in the car like I expected either, so I scooted up to the seat by the driver's window, "Um Roy, where's Shane?" I asked as he got in.

"Mr Grey is meeting us there." He smiled over his shoulder before starting the engine.

"And where is "there"?"

"Mr Grey said to keep it a secret."

"Oh right." I frowned.

"It's a nice surprise, if that counts." He smiled in the mirror.

"Yeah, I suppose it does." I giggled making him laugh to.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up outside Harbour Park, and Roy was at my door in seconds opening it for me again.

"Mr Grey, will be with you shortly." Roy smiled as I got out.

"Roy, just call him Shane." I smiled.

A couple of minutes later the sound of hooves broke the silence of the park.

"I didn't know there were horses here…" But my sentence was cut short when I caught sight of Shane - looking unbelievably handsome with his hair in a casual disarray and in a light brown suit that emphasised how tan he was and as he came closer made the dark chocolate colour of his eyes really stand out more - standing up on a carriage being pulled by two black horses. I felt my jaw drop and eyes bug opened, "No way."

"What do you think?" Shane smiled as the carriage came to a stop in front of me before he offered his hand to help me up.

"I think this is incredible." I smiled taken his hand.

"The nights only starting." He smiled mischievously.

"There's more?"

He smiled and nodded but I knew it would be useless to ask him what else was coming up.

"These are for you." He continued grabbing a bouquet of long stemmed red roses up from the red leather seat and handing them to me. "They're almost as pretty as you."

Where before I would've laughed at his line I felt myself blush and tried to hide it by pretending to smell the flowers, "Well, they aren't pink daisies or freesia but they'll do." I smiled cheekily when I was sure the blush had faded out of my cheeks.

He rolled his eyes playfully before pulling me down on the seat with him, "You're hard to please, Miss Torres." He laughed.

"You're just gonna have to step up your game, Grey." I laughed back as we started moving.

* * *

Shane's Prov

I let her have her space as we sat in the carriage but I couldn't help wanting to be closer to her or looking at her, she was just so beautiful. The way the light of the street lamps touched her face made it look as if she were glowing, the curly tendrils of her hair framed her face immaculately and her eyes were the warmest liquid brown I've ever seen. But it wasn't just her looks that made her beautiful it was her modesty as well, it was obvious she wasn't comfortable in her dress because she kept trying to stretch it down to her knees –when she thought I wasn't paying attention - but she obviously didn't realise how much any red carpet starlet would envy her.

Mitchie's Prov

He didn't try to pin me against him by wrapping his arm around me as we sat in the open top carriage, he sat a couple of inches away from me but his body was manoeuvred to face me and he had one arm laid casually along the back of the seat and it was with that hand he would now and again play with my hair or move a stray piece that was blown into my face by the night breeze, both these things gave me goose bumps – the good kind – and made me want to close that gap between us.

We had circled the park five times so I had everything memorised we didn't speak much so I was able to take in my surroundings - it wasn't that we hadn't anything to say he asked the occasional question but apart from that we just stayed silent and enjoyed each others company – so I noticed when we started following a different path.

"Where are we going now?"

He just smiled crookedly and shook his head.

I frowned at him playfully making him chuckle before I turned around to try and figure out where we were going.

I watched the closely packed trees of the park, start to get further apart and fewer in number until it was just flat grassland, the wind began to pick up when we left the shelter of the trees behind and I began to regret not bringing a jacket.

"Are you cold?" Shane asked.

"Not really." I lied.

He raised his eyebrow before shaking his head and smiling. "Here." He smiled taken off his jacket and placing it around my shoulders.

"Thanks." I smiled embarrassedly pulling it tighter around myself. "Aren't you gonna get cold?"

"Nope." He smiled cheekily as he brought his arm that was lying along the back of the seat down so it was around me and pulled me closer to him.

I forgot about trying to figure out where we were going then and instead enjoyed being so close to him.

"We're here." Shane smiled moments later and to my annoyance he moved his arm from around me to stand and help me up.

I tried to stand up as gracefully as I could without my dress going up any further, that's when the smell of the sea hit me. I looked around Shane to see where we were, I wasn't wrong about being by the sea, we were on the harbour.

"Why are we here?" I asked as we stepped off the coach.

"Dinner." He smiled brightly pointing behind me.

I looked at him confusedly before turning around to see where he was pointing. I was expecting some sort of restaurant that I didn't know was built by the harbour but it wasn't in fact it wasn't even a building, he was pointing at a boat, a very stylish, sleek white yacht to be precise with lights strung along it's silver railings making it stand out among the others.

"Wow." I breathed. "Is that yours?"

"Yeah." He chuckled handing me the roses and taken my other hand, sending a jolt of electricity up my arm. "Let's go." He smiled as he starting to run towards the yacht dragging me behind him.

"I can't believe you own a boat." I said in disbelief as we stepped onto the deck.

"This is nothing compared to Nate's." He shrugged.

"So, you all have fancy cars and boats." I laughed.

"Well, yes and no, yes we all have fancy cars but not all of us have boats." He answered.

"Jason doesn't have a boat." I summed up.

"Yeah, he said he would have no need for one, when Nate and I were buying ours cause he was so in love with his Audi A5." He shrugged. "Makes you wonder what need he'd have for the jet he brought last year."

"He got a jet!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah." He nodded before making a face "Too flashy for my taste."

"Says the boy who owns a boat." I mocked.

He rolled his eyes at me, "Let's go dinner will be getting cold." He said taken my hand – sending another jolt of electricity up my arm - and leading me through the boat.

It's interior was just as spectacular as it's exterior, the floors were decked out in a pale tan wood and it's walls were all a rich cream colour with speaks of gold weaved through it. He led me down a small spiral staircase that had gold rails matching the specks on the walls into a circular living area, that had a curved cream leather sofa along the wall where the window was, there was a thick cream rug – made from the same material as the carpet in his apartment – in the centre of the room with a round glass coffee table on top of it then through a small arch into a small kitchen. There was a larger version of the glass coffee table in the living area surrounded by four dark wood chairs, where I thought we were going to have dinner, but I was wrong because he kept walking through a set of sliding doors onto the lower deck.

The fairy lights that were wrapped around the front of the boat had continued around the back of it and in their light I seen the black wrought iron table and matching chairs.

"Too corny?" He asked misinterpreting my silence.

"No, it's…perfect." I said awe struck. "Ha! Now I'm been corny." I laughed at myself embarrassedly.

"I like knowing you're enjoying yourself and not thinking I'm trying to buy your affection." He finished his sentence teasingly.

"O.k. I could've been more gracious about the gifts, but you have to understand I really didn't like you." I explained.

"And now, do you still hate me?" He asked as he pulled out my seat for me.

"We'll see." I smiled cheekily as I sat down.

* * *

Shane's Prov

For dinner I had called in all sorts of favours for the best chef in town to prepare our meal. For starters, he made us a Swiss Cheese Fondue, then for our main course Ratatouille and a chocolate mousse for desert, it was funny to watch the surprise on Mitchie's face when the waiters came out to serve dinner but even funnier when she realised the boat was moving.

"We're moving!" She exclaimed standing up.

I nodded once, chuckling at her expression it was a cross between shock and confusion.

"Oh." She mumbled sitting back down, the cutest blush colouring her cheeks. "Where are we going?"

"Just up the coast a little and back down again, I thought it would be nice while we ate."

She smiled widely before popping the last spoonful of her desert in her mouth.

I hadn't taken my eyes off her all night; she was so different definitely not like all those fake fan girls that would use me to get this sort of treatment.

"Dance with me?" I found myself asking out of the blue.

She raised one eyebrow confusedly, "There's no music."

"So?" I smiled getting up and offering her my hand.

She looked as if she were debating the idea in her head for a while before she shrugged out of my blazer and took my hand, if it were possible I felt the electricity fly up my arm. I pulled her closer to me, winding my arms around her waist while she wound her arms around my neck and buried her head in the space between my neck and shoulder as we started spinning in little circles. This was a lot easier than any of my other relationships.

* * *

Mitchie's Prov

It was late by the time we anchored back at the harbour, but the limo was waiting for us when we got off. I thought we were going to say 'good-bye' at the limo door but he got in with me, and on the ride home we sat closer than we had on the carriage ride with his arm wrapped firmly around me and my head on his shoulder.

I hadn't given much thought to what I considered the perfect date but I was pretty sure this was it.

* * *

He was walking me to my door before I knew it.

"Thank you for tonight." I smiled. "It was amazing. You definitely know how to treat a girl."

"Thanks for coming on this date in the first place." He smiled. "I never thought I'd get you to go on date with me."

"Me neither." I laughed. "But here we are."

"I really like you Mitchie." He smiled crookedly.

My heart melted at that moment, "I really like you too." I smiled happily.

His answering smile was dazzling before he used one hand to cup my face and bring it closer to him…


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I found time for a quick update lol It's a bit longer than my other chapters, just like a drama filled filler chapter lol Hope you's like! And I hope Santa got you's what you's wanted lol.**

Shane's Prov 

"I fell so fast  
Can't hold myself back  
High heels, _green_ dress  
All by yourself, gotta catch my breath

I'm slippin' into the lava  
And I'm trying to keep from goin' under…"

"Good night?" Nate asked appearing at my bedroom door.

"How'd you know?" I smiled widely at him.

"You've been singing "Burnin' Up" since you woke up." He laughed slightly before continuing. "But you're changing 'red dress' to 'green dress' why?"

"Mitchie had a green dress on last night." I answered simply, normally it would have embarrassed me being so upfront but that girl was incredible and perfect and…words could not describe how I felt about her.

"You really like her." Nate smiled.

I nodded happily, "She's amazing Nate and last night was amazing, everything is just…"

"Amazing?" Nate laughed.

"Yep." I chuckled along with him.

"So, what did she think of it?" He asked interestedly.

"She liked it." I smiled.

"Even the small boat?" He teased. "Cause you know dude I would've lent you mine, with the pool and health suit…"

"Mitchie, liked my _yacht_ just fine, she doesn't like expensive things anyway she likes nice simple things."

"That pretty much describes your _boat_, so I understand why she likes it." He teased.

"Shut up." I said punching him jokingly walking past him.

"What did you guys talk about?" He asked following me.

"What is this 'twenty questions'?" I laughed.

"No, I'm being as annoying as you were when I spent time with Mitchie." He smiled cheekily.

I rolled my eyes slightly, "We talked about her mostly."

"And the whole Abigail thing never came up?" Nate asked nervously.

"No." I shot, hearing her name always had made my temper flair up. "Why should it have? Mitchie doesn't know anything about _that_."

"Um…" Nate started as he rubbed the back of his neck. "She does know about it." He said sheepishly.

"What!?" I almost screamed.

"Well, I told her." He said nervously. "But it worked out for you right?"

I couldn't say anything, between the anger and the realisation that last night was a pity date, so I just grabbed my jacket and stormed out of the apartment.

Mitchie's Prov

_Ring! Ring!_

I groaned and rolled over to my side as my cell phone brought me out of unconsciousness. I let it ring as I tried to figure out what part of my dream actually happened and what parts I just made up in my mind, when I realised the whole date with Shane wasn't a dream I answered my phone quickly in case it was him.

"Hello." I answered as I sat up straight on my bed.

"_You didn't call last night!_" Ella scolded.

"Sorry, Ells." I laughed. "We got home late."

"_I told you to call us any time, late or not._" She reminded me. "_Never mind, how was it? Where did he take you?" _

"Ella it was unbelievable! He took me on a carriage ride through harbour park then…"

_Knock! Knock!_

I was about to tell Ella to hold on so I could call whoever was knocking in but they didn't wait for my invite.

"Last night was a pity date!" Shane said angrily bursting into my room.

"Um…Ella, I have to go, some psycho that looks like Shane Grey just came into my room." I said hanging up the phone.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, slipping out of bed and pulling my robe on quickly.

"You found out about Abigail, because Nate can't keep his big trap shut." He fumed. "That's why you changed your mind about dating me, you felt sorry for me."

"Shane, that's not why…" But he didn't let me finish.

"Well, I don't need to be pitied by _you_." He sneered. "You're just a poor little no-one and I don't need you in my life. So don't give me any of your flimsy excuses, don't call me and don't expect me to call you." And with that, he left.

I stood there dumbfounded as I watched him leave; his words didn't fully stink in till I heard him slam the front door shut, that's when the tears started.

* * *

I'd stayed in my room – rolled up in a ball on my bed – all day after Shane's visit this morning, it felt like the confrontation had sucked all my energy from me.

_Knock! Knock!_

Please don't let this be round two I prayed sitting up straight.

"Hi." Caitlyn smiled walking into the room.

"You'll not believe this." Ella exclaimed excitedly pushing past her, nearly knocking Caitlyn over. "You're in a magazine!" She said tossing the glossy paged mag to me then throwing herself onto the bed beside me.

I looked at both of them confusedly before looking at the magazine.

Ella heaved a sigh before grabbing it out of my lap and flicking through the pages quickly, "There." Ella said tapping a small picture of Shane and I on the carriage with a tiny caption that read "Serial dater finds next victim." But it wasn't the caption that held my attention it was how happy we looked as we looked into each others eyes in the picture, before I knew it the tears were stinging my eyes again.

"Mitch, are you o.k.?" Ella asked concernedly.

I shook my head afraid that talking would bring on the sobs of hysteria I had just got under control.

* * *

Four days later, and I still feel like rubbish, like having Shane tell me I was nothing and he wanted nothing to do with me had crushed me. But I tried not to show it in front of my friends after my breakdown in front of them when Ella showed me the picture in the magazine.

"Lemonade?" I offered quickly sitting up straight on my sun-lounger, when I found myself on the verge of day dreaming about Shane and the date.

"I'll get it." Caitlyn said standing up and making her way into my kitchen through the glass sliding doors.

"The weather is so nice today." I said conversationally laying back on the sun-lounger.

Ella heaved a sigh as she sat up straighter and took off her sunglasses, "Mitchie, stop it."

"Stop what?" I asked surprised at Ella's response.

"Pretending you're o.k. we know your not you can tell us." She said sympathetically.

I pulled a face, "Didn't fool you did I?"

"No." She laughed slightly. "You have every right in the world to be upset we know how much you liked him then for him to say that stuff must've been awful, we understand that."

"I know you's would understand but I really didn't want to bring you's down too."

"We don't mind being brought down, talk to us." Ella smiled lopsidedly.

Shane's Prov

"So, after the radio interview we have a photo shoot for the cover of the "Hot Tunes" magazine…" Jason rambled as we walked through the lobby of our apartment building towards our car.

"Good afternoon Mr Bourne, Mr Rushton." Roy smiled tipping his cap as Nate and Jason got into the car in front of me. "Shane." He smiled brightly.

I hated everyone's bright attitude when I was miserable, "It's Mr Grey." I corrected rudely.

"Sorry Mr Grey, it's just Miss Mitchie…"

"_Miss Mitchie's _opinion no longer counts to me or you that's if you value your job." I snapped as I got into the car.

When I got comfortable in my seat I finally looked at Jason for him to continue his "To do" list but both of them looked horrified.

"What?"

"That was so rude dude." Nate frowned.

"What? I just wanted the same respect as you two got."

"We all know that's not the reason for your behaviour." Nate snapped. "You've been a complete jerk since you fell out with Mitchie."

"That's not true." I objected quickly.

"Yeah, it sort of is." Jason commented quietly. "Since your argument with Mitchie you've been in a really bad mood."

"She doesn't have that sort of influence over me, she's not important enough to me to have that influence over me." I protested.

"When you're protesting this much she obviously has some influence over you." Jason commented.

"Not 'some' a lot." Nate corrected before he looked at me. "Why don't you just do us all a favour and apologise to her because since you've known her you've been a better person."

* * *

"I can't do this." I said bringing the one foot I had out of the car back in.

After our conversation I seen sense, I couldn't let my pride ruin the one relationship that I cared deeply about. But after what I said to her would she want anything to do with me.

"Yes, you can." Jason smiled encouragingly.

"Just do it quick like ripping off a band aid." Nate smiled shoving me out the door and closing it quickly so I couldn't get back in.

Please, let her accept my apology. Please, please, please.

Mitchie's Prov

After Ella asked me to open up to them, I let loose, there were a few tears and consoling hugs but after that I was just angry at him.

"Mitchie." My mum called from the kitchen door.

"Yeah?" I asked, turning my head to the side so I could see her.

"You have a visitor waiting in the living room." She said making her way back into the house.

I looked after her in confusion; if someone was here to see me I didn't really understand why she wouldn't just send them into the backyard to find me. But I couldn't ask her my questions because she had already disappeared into the house so I quickly grabbed my sarong and removed my sunglasses before following her in.

My foot had just crossed the threshold before I seen who was waiting.

"What are you doing here?"

Shane's Prov

The clear anger in her tone, the way her mouth was set and the defensive way she had her arms folded, made it clear I was the last person she wanted to see and who would blame her?

"I'm here to apologise." I answered quietly.

"What is it with you? Do you honestly think you can treat me like something you walked in then when you feel like it apologise and I'll just fall into your arms and forgive you?" She fumed before walking back out the door.

"Mitchie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said I was just taken off guard." I said following her.

"I don't wanna here your excuses." She said rolling her eyes as she opened the front door. "Everything is drama with you and I don't need that. So maybe you should just leave." She said gesturing out the door.

I ignored her gesture and continued my explanation, "I thought you just went on that date with me cause you felt sorry for me and it made me angry because I really like you."

I swore I seen some of the anger in her eyes fade but just as quick her walls were back up, "Just get out!" She ordered.

"Fine." I sighed in defeat making my way out the door.

Mitchie's Prov

He hesitated in the doorway, "Isn't there anything I can do to make this up to you?"

He sounded so defeated I had to throw him a bone even though I was angry at him I hated seeing him down, what was that about? "You could try making it up to me, but that doesn't guarantee I'll forgive you." I said closing the door on him.

I leaned against the door, exhausted; fighting with Shane was like doing five hours of aerobics.

* * *

After Shane's visit, I hadn't heard from him in a week, which was good it gave me time to think straight and finally let go of the anger I felt towards him. It took a while but on the sixth day I was able to say I was ready to forgive him, the conclusion he jumped to I was able to understand, Shane hadn't opened up to anyone after he got his heart broken so when he found out I knew he jumped to the worst conclusion because of his insecurities it would have affected me in the same way. I'd just have to show him he needn't worry about those things with me, I wasn't like _her_.

I was about to text him but it seemed like we had our epiphany at the same time.

"_Turn on Hot Tunes please_. _Shane x_"

It wasn't soon after I read the last word I had my remote in hand switching through the channels till I found the right one.

"Mitch, what are you doing? I thought you were gonna text Shane." Caitlyn asked confusedly.

"Ssh." I answered fluttering my hand at her as I found the right channel.

"_O.k. guys who's ready for our big surprise_." The bubbly host smiled widely receiving a chorus of "yes's" from the crowd in front of her. "_O.k. here it is, your summer treat…give it up for Connect Three!_"

We watched as the guys ran onto the raised wooden platform that was doubling as a stage beside the bubbly host and her male co-host.

"_Welcome to 'The Hot Tunes Beach Party' guys!" _The female host smiled widely as she greeted each one with an air kiss on the cheek_._

"_It's a pleasure to be here." _Nate smiled politely_._

"_So, we heard you's aren't just here to play us a song, would you like to explain to our audience why else you're here?" _The male host asked before shoving his microphone under Shane's nose.

"_I'm actually here to make a public apology."_

"No way!" Caitlyn and Ella chorused moving quickly to my side on my bed.

"_I recently hurt someone I care a lot about and I just want to apologise again to her and dedicate the song were gonna play to her so maybe she forgives me." _

I felt my heart melt slightly at the same time a chorus of "aw's" erupted from the crowd on the T.V as well as from either side of me.

"_Isn't that just the sweetest thing!" _The female host cooed. "_O.k. guys for your pleasure and Shane's lucky lady here is Connect Three with their hit 'Love bug'."_

My hand shot to the power off button on the remote the moment the song title was out of her mouth.

"What happened to the T.V?" Ella asked confusedly before I felt her gaze land on me then my hand. "Mitch, why did you turn it off? He just dedicated a song to you." She asked about to take the remote out of my hand.

"He wrote that song for his ex-girlfriend." I said quietly moving it out of her reach.

Shane's Prov

"Was that song always that long?" I asked walking faster towards our dressing room and more importantly my cell phone.

"Relax dude, I bet she loved the song." Jason reassured me from the door of our dressing room as I was already searching through my jacket pocket for my phone.

"I don't think she did." I mumbled disheartened when I found no missed calls or unread messages on my phone.

"Maybe she didn't get your message try texting her again." Nate said reassuringly.

* * *

Mitchie's Prov 

My phone had gone off several times about ten minutes after I turned the T.V off, I didn't have to check my phone to see who it was.

"Mitch, there's another one." Caitlyn said quietly as I came back into the room.

I had excused myself after I explained to them why I turned the T.V off afraid I was about to break down but I didn't I just felt numb.

"Just turn it off, please." I answered simply. I could see the confusion shoot across their faces when they heard my tone they must've been expecting my break down too.

"O.k." Ella answered gaining her composure first and walking towards my phone.

"Actually, you can just leave it; I'm not going to be much fun for the rest of the day maybe for your own sanities you should just leave."

"We don't mind staying." Caitlyn objected quickly.

"Honestly I just need alone time." I sounded so calm my friends had to exchange a quick look before they answered me.

"If you're sure." Caitlyn said sounding as if she were debating whether or not leaving me alone was actually the best thing to do.

I nodded once, "I just need to think stuff through that's all." I reassured them. "I'll call you's later, promise." I added on quickly when I seen their unconvinced expressions.

"O.k." Caitlyn sighed finally after exchanging another look with Ella. "But promise you'll call later."

"I will."

I seen them exchange another look at my normal tone, probably wondering how much effort I was putting into my cool façade, but I wasn't putting in any effort it was like nothing had even happened with Shane…like I was expecting the worst to happen anyway so I wasn't bothered by it.

They exchanged one more look before making their way to the door, "If you don't call we'll just be back." Ella warned before they left.

The minute they left, I let myself fall backwards onto my bed; I couldn't understand why I felt nothing why I was so numb…

_Knock! Knock!_

I prompted myself up on my elbows; did they even manage to get down the stairs before deciding not to go?

"Guys, honestly you can go home I'm fi-ne." The last word got stuck in my throat and then came out in two syllables when Shane Grey stepped into my room.

"You didn't text back." He mumbled quietly as if he were upset like he had a valid reason to be upset.

Suddenly all I could see was red and that numbness disappeared and all I could feel was a red hot anger boil under my skin and next thing I knew I was throwing my phone at him.

Shane's Prov

I ducked just before the cell phone collided with the wall above my head and snapped in half.

"Jesus, Mitchie what the hell!?"

"Get out!" She spat, the anger and hate in her eyes clear as day.

"You're the biggest schizo I know I'm just after apologising on live T.V for what I said to you and dedicating a song to you."

"A song you wrote for your ex-girlfriend." She nearly snarled moving closer to me.

I mentally wanted to punch myself, how could I have been so stupid.

"See you can't even deny it. Just get out." Her anger was fading just as quick as it came on and I could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Mitchie, I didn't mean to upset you I was just thinking about how the lyrics were perfect for my situation." I explained.

"I don't want to hear it." She answered her voice on the verge of breaking as she looked at the ground. "Just go please." She pleaded before putting one hand on my chest and pushing me weakly.

Mitchie's Prov

"Hopeless, head over heels in the moment. I never thought I'd get hit by this lovebug again." He sang quietly my pushes not affecting him at all, I was in two minds about wanting him to leave anyway…maybe I was a "schizo". "I might've written it for her but it was meant for you. I'm falling for you Mitchie…hard." He said cupping my face in his hands and forcing me to look at him.

"Don't say that." I said weakly as I struggled to free my face, the honesty and affection in his eyes was too much to bear.

"Why not?"

"Cause I might end up believing you."

"I mean every word of it." It was impossible to doubt him when he answered me, honesty rang in every word and his eyes got a new hopeful gleam in them as if he knew I was softening.

"I don't want to get hurt." I confessed.

"I'd never hurt you on purpose."

"I don't want you comparing me to her, or treating me like her."

"You're so much better than her, I'd never dream of doing any of those things."

His answer made me realise I wasn't a schizo I just liked him so much, it brought out all my strongest emotions, and hiding behind those emotions I was just hurting myself…I wanted to be with him.

"I'm always going to be jealous of her." I warned him.

"You shouldn't be." He smiled lopsidedly brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

His touch and smile broke down the last of my barriers and I pulled his face closer to mine and kissed him with all the energy I had.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry I never got a chance to update yesterday I never got two minutes to myself all day! I would update twice today to make up for it but I've sort of caught up on myself with the writing and updating so you might have to wait a little longer for updates but I promise it won't be long believe it or not this is the third last chapter :( so only two more to go after it. **

**Hope you's all had a great Christmas! Btw, loving all the reviews they're so nice.**

Shane's Prov

"W-o-w." I smiled blissfully when we pulled apart. "I've missed you so much." I smiled picking her up and spinning her around.

"I missed you too." She smiled happily as I set her down and kissed her head.

"I'm so sorry." I said earnestly again as I touched my forehead to hers.

"Ssh." She smiled silencing me by putting her finger to my lips. "I don't want to talk about that anymore I just want to be with you." She sighed as she put her head on my chest and squeezed herself closer to me.

"I know but I just need to make sure you know how sorry I am."

She clamped her hand over my mouth this time, "I know." She said moving her head so she was looking me in the eyes as if to emphasis her point.

I smiled weakly behind her hand before taken it and kissing her palm before holding it to my cheek, "It'll be plain sailing from now on, just you and me and it can start by you letting me take you on the best date ever."

My words must've been carrying an electric charge I wasn't aware of because she jumped back a step when I finished.

"Mitch, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly stepping towards her I didn't want to let her go yet.

"Nothings wrong, it's just well your type of dates are so extravagant that I'm barely able to trail together a coherent sentence so maybe we could do something low key this time, get to know each other more." She explained nervously.

I smiled lopsidedly at her before pulling her in to me and winding my arms around her waist, "Anything you want." I promised her as I buried my face in her hair.

* * *

"So, has she told where she's taken you yet?" Nate asked from the barker lounger as I pulled on my off brown leather jacket.

"Nope, it's a surprise." I smiled. "I think she's having fun with this, it drove her insane when I was planning our first date I think she's hoping that's the case with me."

"Is it?"

"No." I laughed. "I'm enjoying her enjoying this too much to go crazy about not knowing."

"Eugh, you's are so sickly loved up." Nate complained jokingly.

"Yep." I smiled brightly.

"Is that outfit really meant for a date?" Jason asked from the sofa, making me notice his scrutinising stare for the first time.

"She said dress casual…and I look good…don't I?" I asked suddenly worried and rushing to the mirror making Nate and Jason burst into a fit of laughter.

"You must really like her if she's making you doubt your sense of style." Nate teased.

_Knock! Knock!_

"Ha-ha." I mocked as I rushed to get the door Mitchie had insisted she drive tonight.

I pulled the door opened eagerly, for the last week we spent as little time as possible from each other.

She looked gorgeous as always, even though she was dressed simply in a pair of grey skinny jeans, white t-shirt with a waistcoat over it and a pair of black knitted ugg boots. Her hair fell in her natural waves around her face and barely wearing any make up, I could honestly say she was the most gorgeous girl on the planet, then when she looked up from under her eyelashes at me I couldn't stop myself from pulling her to me and kissing her.

Mitchie's Prov 

"Eugh!" Nate and Jason groaned behind Shane making us part quickly.

"Sorry." I apologised looking over Shane's shoulder to them.

"I'm not." Shane smirked looking only at me.

I giggled quietly as both boys threw him dirty looks, "Maybe we should get going." I suggested.

"Sure." He smiled taking my hand and leading me out the door, it annoyed me a little he wasn't as frustrated about the surprise element as I had been.

"Don't have him out too late, Mitchie." Nate teased before Shane shut the door in his face.

"You look great by the way." He smiled as we entered the elevator.

"You too." I smiled.

* * *

"Put this on." I said shoving a handkerchief scarf into his lap as he got comfortable in the passenger's seat.

He looked at me as if he were about to object, so I jutted out my bottom lip and put on my best pout making him sigh in defeat before placing it over his eyes and tying it behind his head.

I smiled in triumph before starting the engine and backing out of my parking space.

"Well, this is different." He said after a while searching for my hand. "I've never been taking on a date before." He finished when he found it.

"Is that all that's new about this experience, what about the blindfolded part?" I giggled.

"That's not new; loads of girls have blindfolded me." He teased a smirk playing on his lips and I knew he would've winked if his eyes weren't covered.

"Jerk." I laughed taking my hand out of his and shoving him playfully.

"You know I was joking." He smiled searching for my hand again. "So, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise, I can't tell you." I giggled placing my hand in his.

"Not even a little hint?"

"Nope, not even a little hint." I smiled

* * *

He continued pleading until I pulled into park, I knew he was just trying to placate me he would've been more than happy enough to sit back and enjoy the ride.

"We're here." I smiled unbuckling myself. "Keep your blindfold on though." I instructed before getting out and making my way around to his door.

Shane's Prov

I did as I was told, and listened to her footsteps go around the back of the car and open my door.

"Come on." I could hear the smile in her voice as she took my hand and helped me out of the car.

I could tell she was excited as she dragged me along behind her I'd never walked so fast in my life I was glad the ground was even and had nothing for me to trip up on.

"O.k. stand there." The excitement was making its way into her voice now as she pulled me to a halt then let go of my hand so she was loosing the knot at the back of my head. "Ta-Da." She smiled as the scarf fell from my eyes.

It took my eyes a moment to adjust, then it took me another couple of minutes to find the sign on the dark building, which was obviously closed, why were we here.

I looked at her confusedly but she misunderstood, "You don't like crazy golf?" She asked deflated. "I don't get it Nate said it was your favourite thing to do on your down time…"

"No, no." I rushed to re assure her. "I love crazy golf; it's just well…it's closed." I said pointing to the dark building and unlit sign.

"Oh that." She giggled grabbing my hand and leading me to the side of the building that met the wire fence that was built around it.

We stopped at the gate and the way she was looking up at the top of it made me worry, "I'm not breaking in." I clarified quickly.

"Don't be silly." She laughed standing on her tip toes and grasping something from the top of the gate. "You're not the only one with connections." She smiled showing me the silver key in her hand.

"How…?" Was all I managed to say through my smile, she was just full of surprises.

"I used to work here." She explained as she unlocked the gate and led us in. "Stay here." She smiled disappearing into the darkness. "So, anyway…" She continued, her voice was fairly close but I still couldn't see her. "I got laid off cause of cut backs but the owner felt horrible about it so now he let's me use the course after hours."

Her explanation finished the same moment the course around me lit up and I couldn't help but laugh when I noticed the theme.

"Pirates." I chuckled.

"Hey, don't mock, it's awesome especially the last hole." She smiled walking towards me with two fluorescent green golf clubs and a basket with matching balls.

* * *

It took us an hour to get to the final hole; we always got caught up in our conversation and ended up forgetting about the game. This low key date was far better than any extravagant date could ever be.

"I'm winning." She sung as we crossed the little wooden bridge to the final hole.

I rolled my eyes but stopped mid-roll as I took in the final hole. Instead of the normal green felt, it was a pirate ship.

"Better than your yacht, right?" She giggled.

"A little bit." I chuckled. "So what do I have to do?"

"Follow me." She smiled walking onto the ships deck. "O.k. so you start from here and try to get the ball to go through one of those three holes, then it goes through the ship and out to where the hole is." She explained. "If you get it through the hole in the mass you're guaranteed a hole in one."

"The smallest hole naturally." I frowned.

"Cheer up." She smiled angelically pinching my cheek. "It's not like your gonna win anyway." She giggled as she skipped back so I couldn't nudge her. "I get to go first cause I'm winning." She sung the final word as she set down her ball.

Her ball veered off to the left when she hit it and went through one of the other holes making her frown.

I chuckled at her expression making her stick her tongue out at me as I set my ball up.

Mitchie's Prov

I watched as he hit the ball carefully and hold his breath as it rolled towards the hole in the mass then watched the most beautiful triumphant smile spread across his face when it went in.

"Cheat." I accused jokingly when he smirked at me.

"Looks like I'm gonna win." He smiled.

"We'll see." I smiled taken his hand and leading him off the boat and down onto the green felt. I paused to watch his expression when I knew the candlelit picnic I had Caity and Ella set up for us would come into his view.

"Wow." He smiled wrapping an arm around my waist and squeezing me tightly. "You really went all out."

"It wasn't all me." I said modestly. "Nate made the food and Ella and Caity set it up for me so I could get ready." I smiled taken his hand and pulling him onto the blanket with me.

Shane's Prov

We popped open the lids of all the different containers spread out on the blanket, and like proper teenagers we over looked the healthier options and went straight for the chocolate covered strawberries.

"Cheat." I teased as I found my golf ball stuck between the strawberry container and another one.

"Well I couldn't really let you win." She smiled cheekily.

"I demand a rematch." I smiled moving my face closer to hers.

"Bring it." She smiled closing the gap between our lips.

The kiss started off sweet and innocent, but it began to get more heated and passionate and soon we were pushing the containers between us out of the way so we could get closer but just as my arm wound its way around her waist a bright flash interrupted us.

We pulled apart immediately and looked at where the flashes were coming from; above us on the pirate ship were at least ten photographers and the moment they seen they got our attention the questions started.

"Shane, who's the girl?"

"Hey darling, what's your name?"

"Shane!"

"Look over here!"

In the same moment their questions started I was on my feet pulling Mitchie to hers.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered, apologised as she scrambled to her feet.

"It's fine." She whispered back. "Follow me." She smiled taking my hand and running in the opposite direction from the photographers.

Mitchie's Prov 

We ran the long way back to the exit with the paparazzi following us.

"Go back to the car." I instructed. "I'm right behind you."

He was about to argue but whatever expression I was wearing he didn't bother.

I watched as he ran out of the gate before I turned for the power switch, I'd like to see them find their way round a crazy golf course in the dark I thought to myself as I switched the power off then ran to the gate and locked it behind me, hurt themselves and get arrested for trespassing sounded like a good punishment to me for wrecking my date.


	9. Chapter 9

Mitchie's Prov

I woke up happy the next morning although the paparazzi turning up wasn't how I wanted the night to end, I still had a great night with Shane and after I got him to stop apologising he told me he had a good night too.

I stretched and pulled on my robe not bothering to tie it before I pulled my curtains opened to let the morning light in. The first flashes caught me off guard and made me scream as a pulled my robe closed around me.

I must have looked ridiculous as I stared open mouthed and wide eyed at the dozen paparazzi scattered about my front law. The flashes from their cameras kept coming along with their muffled shouts, my brain was shouting at me to move out of their way but my feet weren't responding. Why were they here? Why were they taking pictures of me, I wasn't famous?

"Mitchie!"

My mum's voice broke through my frozen state and I jumped out of the way and pushed the curtains closed.

"Mum, what's going on?" I asked confused. "Why are they in our garden?"

"Honey, I'm not sure...but it could be something to do with your new friend's maybe." I could tell she was uncomfortable given me her answer in case I took offence to it but in honesty I knew that's why they were here too.

"Great, I'm one of _those_ people." I muttered.

"'Those people'?"

"Famous by association people." I frowned. "That's almost as bad as the people that sell stories about famous people…O.M.G that's what they'll want me to do, sell stories about my friends." I started rambling.

"Relax Mitchie; you don't have to do anything you don't want to." My mum said comfortingly before putting an arm around my shoulders and squeezing me gently. "You just ignore them, when they see they won't get anything out of you, they'll leave you alone vultures like that get bored easily." She smiled reassuringly.

I inhaled deeply to calm myself down as I took in her words, "Your right they can't make me do anything I don't want to." I smiled. "I better call Shane though let him know what's going on."

* * *

Unfortunately my mum was wrong about the paps getting bored easily as a week and a half later I was still waking up to find them on my lawn along with them following me everywhere if I left the house, not that I left often.

For the first couple of days they had been only interested about getting gossip about Shane from me, it then slowly progressed to gossip about our relationship then they became interested in me, they even rung my parents, Ella, Caitlyn, old teachers and "friends" I never knew I had to find out stuff about me.

I was reading a new story about Shane and I everyday in magazines and newspapers Caitlyn and Ella brought over to me – because I tried to leave the house as little as possible – some were totally innocent like them discussing our blossoming relationship and how Shane has changed for the better others however were not so innocent, for example one reporter wrote about Shane visiting my house and us being unsupervised they went on to guess what activities we were getting up to.

Shane had his publicist all over the ridiculous stories from day one, we met up with her every other day – at my house - and every other day she would try and persuade us to do an interview but Shane refused each time he said given one interview would make more want to interview me and he saw how stressed and panicky this attention made me already.

I had only left the house twice since the paps came into my life, the first I was with Shane and his bodyguard which wasn't bad, the second time though I was by myself and almost took a panic attack when a dozen middle aged men with cameras and tape recorders closed in on me, I felt trapped like I was running out of oxygen before Caitlyn and Ella pulled me free after that I choose not to leave the house. Shane, Caitlyn and Ella understood and came by everyday to keep me company, not that I was much fun I was in my own wee world most of the time worrying about the next story I was going to read, or what other people thought when they read them –what they thought of me when they read them – and peeping out the window every so often at the paps on my garden.

"Mitchie." Caitlyn said shaking my arm to get my attention.

"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked as I brought my head out from behind the curtains, the vultures were still on my lawn this morning.

"Ella thinks they'd go away if they seen you weren't gonna spill anything on Shane or your relationship."

"I haven't said anything so far, you think they would've reached that conclusion by now." I sighed.

"Yeah, but you've been saying nothing in here where they can't see you or hear you." Ella spoke from the sofa opposite us.

"What do you mean?" I asked confusedly.

"Let's go out, shop maybe?" She smiled.

"Ella, they'll follow us." I exclaimed, instantly passing on the idea of leaving my house.

"I know." She smiled. "And if they do… when they do." She changed the tense tactfully when she saw me pulling a face. "…you ignore them when the see they aren't getting anything out of you they'll get bored."

I felt my teeth bury into my bottom lip and my head shake slowly from side to side.

"C'mon Mitch, when your hiding in here your making them think your hiding something good so they aren't gonna leave you alone until you show them your not."

* * *

Ella's idea made sense and after I got dressed and we barged through the paparazzi – Caity and Ella flanking me so they couldn't corner me – shouting "no comment" we were on our way to the mall in Caitlyn's Beetle. After all what was more normal – therefore boring to the paps - for a teenage girl to do than hit the mall with her best friends.

Caitlyn decided that if the paps did follow us, the best way to bore them was to start on the bottom floor shops and work our way up ignoring them if they were in the shops –pretending we were too engrossed in shopping – and only given them the "no comment" answer when we were out of shops.

It was simple enough at the beginning we got around the bottom and first floors without seeing or being interrupted by any paps, but they found us when we were coming out of American Apparel.

The flashes were the first give away but instead of running away from the flashes we walked casually to the next shop ignoring them.

"Mitchie, are you out looking for a new outfit to impress Shane?" One of them shouted.

I simply smiled and shook my head before pushing the door of the shop opened and walking in.

"Well done, Mitch." Caitlyn beamed as she pulled me towards the cosmetic counter with her. "If you keep doing that they'll get bored soon."

"Hopefully." I smiled as I started looking at the different shades of lip-gloss. "Where did Ella disappear to?"

"I'm here." Ella answered making us turn around to face her. "Look what I found." She smiled excitedly holding up three disposable cameras.

She didn't need to explain her plan, because when I looked at Caitlyn we were both wearing the same grin as Ella.

We unwrapped the disposable cameras after paying for them then stuffed them in our pockets before going back out of the shop. We were swarmed right away by paps but we continued on to a shop by the exit to the car park. The paps held off two foot back from the shop entrance expecting us to go in but we didn't instead of reaching for the door handle we spun around and pulled out the cameras and began taken pictures of the paps. It was funny to see how dazed and confused they got before we took off to the car park in a fit of giggles and got into Caitlyn's car to go home.

* * *

We were still laughing as we pulled up into my drive way, my lawn was clear of paps for the first time in weeks so we could walk up my drive and through the front door.

"Did you girls have a good time?" My mum smiled.

"Oh yeah." I smiled before busting into another fit of giggles as I turned on the T.V.

"Did the paps find…"

"_Shane Grey's boo, Mitchie Torres was spotted doing a bit of shopping today." _The host of Hot Tunes interrupted my mum's question

"Ha, that was fast." Caitlyn muttered as pictures of Caitlyn, Ella and myself flashed across the screen. "You must be getting famous-er." She giggled as she said the final word.

"_And it seems young Mitchie has a sense of humour as she decided to take pictures of the paps with her friends." _The host smiled as a picture of the three of us popped onto the screen with our disposal cameras.

"I'm glad to see you girls gave those vultures a taste of the own medicine." My mum giggled as she left the room.

"It was a funny idea." I smiled at Ella.

"I know, I'm a genius." She laughed picking up the remote from beside me and started flicking through the channels.

_Ring! Ring!_

I smiled as I looked at the caller I.D. before I answered my cell.

"Hi, Shane. Did you catch us on…"

"_What were you thinking?_" His scolding interrupted me.

"It was a joke." His attitude had me defending myself immediately.

"_Well it wasn't very funny._" His tone was a cross between disapproving, annoyed and challenging all at once and it made me annoyed with him.

"I don't know why you're making a big deal out of this; I've seen celebrities take pictures of the paps before." I snapped into the phone. My tone got Caitlyn and Ella's attention immediately but I ignored their questioning stares and walked out into the hallway I didn't need an audience for this. "Would you rather have me stuck in the house hiding from them?" I challenged, no-one had ever got away with talking to me like this before and it wasn't happening now.

"_Yes_." He answered quickly but he was back tracking just as quick. "_I mean of course not Mitchie but really did you have to pull that stupid prank_."

"They seemed to enjoy it."

"_Mitch, this is a business, it has to be taken seriously_._ It reflects badly on the band and me when you do things like that._" He answered condescendingly.

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought this was a relationship not a business, silly me."

"_You know I didn't mean it like that."_

"What way did you mean it?"

He was quiet on the other end of the phone, I knew he didn't have an answer for me when I asked and now he did too.

"You're asking me to be perfect when I'm with you, so I don't make a fool out of you or the band." I answered for him. "But Shane I've news for you we're all human, no-one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes and I'm not about to make you a promise that I'm not going to make more mistakes because it would be one I couldn't keep."

"_That's not what I'm asking you to do._" He mumbled.

"Yes, you are you just don't realise it." I was confused by how rational I was being now when just a second ago I was ready to have a full blown argument with him; maybe I was having a moment of clarity. "I think we were so consumed with teenage drama at the start of us, that we forgot about the other drama you being famous was gonna bring." It was true I was so blinded by my affection for him until the paps showed up I had nearly forgot he was famous.

"_What are you saying?" _He asked nervously.

"I'm thinking this might not be the right time for us to be us. I don't want to be the girl that jeopardises your career but I don't want to be the secret girlfriend either, I don't want to hide from the paps and say I'm not with you when I am. I want to be the girl your not ashamed of, the girl you talk about without cringing over the stupid things I might've done."

"_I'm not ashamed of you._" He clarified.

"Not now, but what happens later on when I make a mistake worst than taken joke pictures of the paps?" I didn't give him time to answer. "We get into a bigger argument than this break up and never talk to each other again. At least this way we have some chance of saving our friendship."

"_I'm not following you._" He answered confusedly.

I felt the tears coming and sobs beginning to build in my chest but I fought them back so I could continue, "I think we should break up, it's not the right time for us."

"_Mitchie._" His protest was weak because of the way his voice broke.

"I'm sorry, Shane. I just can't be walking on ice when I'm with you it would end far worst than this if I did." The first of the tears began to spill over I had to wrap this up quick, if I didn't want to show him how much this was killing me to do. "I'll always be your friend, I promise." I finished before hanging up.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Final chapter, finally lol. Sorry it took so long there's just been so much going on (I'll not bore you with the details) but to make it up to you it's actually pretty long lol. Hope you's enjoy it, let me know what you's think. Oh! and thanks for being so patient.**

Mitchie's Prov

The sobs broke loose the minute I hung up the phone, and I only noticed I was physically shaking because of them when Caitlyn and Ella began helping me to my feet and on to the sofa in my living room.

I caught their questions and reassurances between sobs.

"What happened?"

"Did you and Shane fight?"

"It'll be fine, Mitchie. You's will be speaking again in no time."

I couldn't answer them; it felt like I had no control over my sobs or tears, I couldn't stop them or even slow them down.

I could tell even through my foggy vision that my sobs of hysteria were worrying my friends, I was even worrying myself slightly, I'd never been in so much pain before. Was this heart break?

Shane's Prov

I hung up in a state of shock; I didn't want to believe what I'd just heard…this couldn't be happening to me again.

But it was.

All the signs were there the unbearable pain in my chest, the feeling that I had no strength to hold myself up so I let myself slowly sink to the ground then there was the stinging sensation behind my eyelids and soon enough warm moist tears were over-spilling and making their way down my cheeks, tears I hadn't shed in years over a girl.

I stayed in a pile on the floor trying to get her words out of my head for god knows how long, but when I heard the front door open, I wiped at my eyes vigorously and pushed myself off the tiled floor before launching myself towards my bedroom to hide.

Why was this happening to me again? I had just managed to stitch the pieces of my last broken heart back together all with Mitchie's help, now I felt new fractures begin to separate the stitches again and rip my heart apart.

"No!" I found myself shouting out loud before grabbing my phone again; I wasn't letting her do this to me.

Mitchie's Prov

_Ring! Ring!_

Seeing his name flash up on my caller I.D. made the tears come faster and the sobs louder.

Caitlyn switched it off quickly when she seen what it was doing to me.

Shane's Prov

When my first call got disconnected I tried again, this time it went straight to voice mail. She was screening my calls, I felt the pain in my chest throb at the thought, why did I make an issue out of the her practical joke I should have left it alone the beep of her answering machine made me jump out of my thoughts and I began to voice them quickly. I couldn't let her go, I wouldn't.

"Mitchie, I'm so sorry." The words came out in a rush like at any moment it would beep again to indicate there was no more room. "I don't know why I made a big deal out of it, I'm sorry, please don't break up with me over this please Mitchie I need you. Pick up please. Mitch, please, I admit I was wrong, c'mon Mitchie I need you, we were supposed to be together."

Somewhere in the middle of my begging and pleading the tears started again and I was unable to form a coherent sentence and soon enough the beep came and the line disconnected.

It hadn't even been two minutes since she dumped me and I was a mess.

"Shane?" Nate whispered sympathetically behind me.

Mitchie's Prov

It took a while but my heart break soon cried itself out – either that or with all my crying I finally dehydrated myself and couldn't cry anymore - and I was able to explain to my friends what happened.

"Aw, Mitch." Ella sighed sympathetically pulling me into a hug after I explained.

"It's obvious what you have to do now." Caitlyn said stroking my hair. "You have to tell him you didn't mean it, and get back together with him."

Her answer had me twisting out of Ella's embrace and looking at her as if she had just lost it.

"What? It's obvious you still like him. It's not natural for the dumpee to feel like the one who was dumped." Caitlyn defended herself quickly.

"Of course, I still like him." I allowed. "But, didn't you hear how he reacted to that prank. I don't want him to be embarrassed by me and I definitely don't want to cost him his career. If I let our relationship continue any longer it would have ended way worst."

"C'mon Mitchie, you don't know that it could end worst." Caitlyn argued. "It mightn't have ended at…"

"Ssh, Caity I don't want to hear it." I shouted interrupting her and covering my ears like a four year old. "Maybe you's should just go."

"Mitchie." Both of them began to protest.

"Please." I begged getting up from the sofa and gesturing to the door.

Neither argued as they got up from the sofa and made their way past me to the front door and only Caity spoke when they left.

"Sorry." She mumbled before closing the door.

I took an unsteady breath as I let myself slide down the doorway of my living room, this was gonna be hard but the pain now would be better than the agonising pain that would be harder to recover from later if I had let it go on.

Shane's Prov

"I'm sorry, I was walking by and I heard…um…are you o.k.? Wait, that's a stupid question of course you're not o.k. What happened? Never mind you probably don't want to talk about it." Nate rambled on nervously. "Um…I should just leave you alone you probably want time to…yeah…" He looked as if he were struggling to find something to say as he looked between my room and the hallway.

It took me a while to realise why he was acting this way; he'd seen me this way before so I knew what he was expecting he was expecting me to kick him out of my room to take it all out on him and Jason before curling up helplessly and blaming myself.

Nate's Prov 

I had one foot in the hall, I wasn't sure why I was waiting around I had been through this with him before and if I didn't leave now he'd just get angry and shout at me he didn't want us seeing him so vulnerable but at the same time I didn't want to leave, a good friend doesn't leave.

"She broke up with me."

It wasn't so much his words that made me turn around it was his tone it was like someone was choking him as he said it.

Shane's Prov

"Nate, what am I supposed to do without her?"

The surprise – that I was letting him in - in Nate's eyes was quickly replaced with sympathy.

* * *

Mitchie's Prov 

The day after..._it_ happened the paps cleared from my lawn, how Shane's publicist managed it, I didn't really want to know. I stayed away from anything that could tell me in fact I was so out of touch with the outside world, World War Three could have broken out and I wouldn't have known. The only glimpse of the world I got the past couple of days was just the quick peek out my window I'd take to see if the paps came back, sometimes I wished they would come back it would mean things hadn't changed but I tried hard not to think like that. Every now and again I'd hope to see a silver Porsche parked in my drive too when I looked out the window but I tried hard to block that thought out of my mind as well.

"How is she?" Ella's voiced travelled up from my living room and into my room, I hadn't called them since _that_ day so they were obviously here because of my mum.

"She's still in her room, she hasn't come out in the last couple of days, hasn't got dressed either she just sits up there listening to _their…" _My mum stopped saying "Connect Three" and "Shane" the minute it all fell apart. "…album over and over again I don't think she'd eat only I force her to. She really needs you girls."

"I don't know why she's putting herself through all this if it's hurting her this badly." Caitlyn said confusedly.

"You know Mitchie she's always put her head over her heart." My mum answered. "If she thinks it could have ended worse and this was the better option, you know she was going to take it."

"I hate seeing her put herself through this." Ella muttered.

"Do you know if she's called Nate?" Caitlyn asked. "He's been asking for her, she hasn't been taken his calls."

I felt a little guilty when Caitlyn mentioned Nate, he had been trying to get in touch with me but I selfishly choose not to talk to him, it would be too hard. I had been blocking everyone out recently and at that realisation I felt worse.

"I doubt it." My mum sighed. "After you girls are done, will you's come find me and let me know how she is? It's just I've been trying to give her space."

I even drove my mum away so far that she's given me space, mum's never give their children space especially mine!

"Sure, no problem Connie." Caitlyn agreed the same moment I heard the creak of the first step.

I jumped up quickly, the guilt overpowering my sadness – for a moment anyway – I owed these people, the people who have been in my life a lot longer than Shane Grey, to be happy and if that wasn't possible I'd pretend for them, in time the pain would get easier and I wouldn't have to pretend. I combed my hair through quickly, dosed myself in perfume and grabbed one of my make up wipes and scrubbed my face quickly before pushing the curtains opened.

I gave myself the once over in my vanity mirror it wasn't a big improvement but I couldn't do much else as a knock came on my door.

"C'mon in." I called as enthusiastically as I could.

They walked in cautiously like they were entering the lions den; it would've been funny if it wasn't my room they were entering like something was going to attack them, they were my friends they shouldn't feel like that.

"Hey Mitchie." They smiled weakly together.

"Hi." I smiled broadly getting up to embrace them in a group hug. The smile felt strange on my lips it had been a while since I last smiled and because I was faking it now it felt wrong and strained because of how much effort I was putting into it.

When I stepped back from them I just caught the last bit of their confused glances at each other.

"What's up?" I smiled before turning around to plonk myself down on my bed. When I turned back around though, they both had their arms folded over their chests and were wearing expressions that read "we're not buying it". I felt my smile falter and a sigh and eye-roll take its place, "What?"

"Please don't insult our intelligence." Caitlyn sighed sitting down next to me.

"I'm not." I defended myself quickly. "I'm not insulting you. I'm not doing anything."

"You're pretending you're fine when you're not. It's a tiny bit insulting if you think we're gonna buy it." Ella smiled weakly sitting on my other side.

I gave up my charade quickly and let my face fall back into the mask of sadness it had got accustomed to in the past week, "I'm sorry." I apologised weakly. "I just thought…maybe it would be better…it would stop me from dragging you's down too."

"We're your friends Mitchie, we don't mind being brought down as long as we can be there for you." Caitlyn smiled reassuringly before given me a sideways hug.

"But we're not really here to be brought down; we're here to bring you up." Ella smiled brightly.

Her smile had me worried instantly. That worry must have shown in my face as both of them giggled at me.

"Ella had this idea." Caitlyn smiled. "To take your mind off…everything."

"What idea?" I asked, the worry showed in my voice too.

"I'm surprised you can't guess, don't you know what date it is?" Caitlyn asked teasingly.

Her smile soon faded though as I looked at her ashamedly and began shaking my head, I didn't even know what day it was never mind the date those things sort of escaped you when you've been curled up in a ball on your bed for most of the week.

I think they thought I didn't see the glance they exchange before Ella started speaking, "It's August twentieth." She smiled even though I seen the sympathy in her eyes.

I was concentrating so hard on the look in her eyes that it took me a while to realise what that date stood for, Frankie – a fellow senior – threw a beach party every year on the twentieth a kind of last hurray before summer was over, this year it was supposed to be a bigger bash because everyone was leaving for college.

"Ella." I started; about to protest the last thing I wanted was to go to a party, right now, all I wanted was to pig out on a pile of junk food and watch horror movies with my friends now I was willing to let them in. But then the guilt stepped in again and I remembered I'd promised to try and not pull them down too, I owed them. "Sure, I'll go." I smiled weakly, because it wasn't as broad as my previous fake smiles I think they brought it.

* * *

They left me a while later, to get their stuff then they were going to come back to mine to get ready. I thought it would be a good idea to call Nate back now I had time alone, even though he had only been my friend for a couple of months I owed him as much as I owed my life long best friends.

His phone only rung once.

"_Mitchie?_" He sounded relieved and excited.

Shane's Prov

"Mitchie?"

I heard Nate exclaim in the kitchen – he could have whispered it and I still would've heard – I got my hopes up instantly, she was here. I rushed to the kitchen quickly but when I heard the gap in the conversation before Nate asked how she was I realised he was on the phone to her.

It had to be hard for him being friends with both of us, I knew he tried to call her often to see how she was doing when he wasn't consoling me - and thought I didn't realise what he was doing – but she never took his call before and I seen that he was upset by that fact, for a while I thought she was trying to make a clean break from all of us.

I felt my eyes begin to well up; this was the longest time since…_it_ happened that I had allowed myself to think about her.

I found myself curled up in the foetal position on my bed – acting like someone had just died - with Nate and Jason consoling me for the first couple of days I probably would have stayed that way longer if I hadn't noticed Jason and Nate exchanging the same looks as last time, the worried "is he going to pull out of this" looks. When I noticed them I forced myself out of bed so they'd stop worrying, even if I was still miserable and heart broken.

It had been slightly easier letting my friends in this time but what made it easier again was trying not to think about her and I'd managed that for a while with only a couple of slip ups, up until now. I felt the ache in my heart make itself known again, the stinging sensation in my eyes, the lump in my throat making it hard for me to breath. I had to hold onto the door frame to hold myself up; the shock of how hard the pain was hitting me nearly knocked me to the ground. How was it still this painful? Wasn't time supposed to ease these things?

"I'm sure you have been better." Nate spoke.

So, she was feeling it too. I wasn't sure if that knowledge was supposed to make me feel better or worst.

"How about I come over tonight? It's been ages since I seen you."

Mitchie's Prov

I would've jumped at his offer if I hadn't already made plans but not surprisingly my explanation of why he couldn't come over was not the first thing I voiced.

"Wouldn't Shane mind you coming over?" I asked, wincing at the painful throb my heart gave when I said his name.

"_I don't think so I'm sure he'd understand._" Nate answered.

"Oh." Was all I managed to say.

He didn't speak for a while probably expecting me to say something else but when he realised I didn't have anything else to say he spoke again "_So, what time do you want me to come over?_"

"Um…you can't come over I've plans." I sighed rolling my eyes slightly.

Shane's Prov

"Beach party in Santa Monica, really?" Nate asked confusedly. "Ah, Ella's idea, that explains it." He chuckled once.

If it was possible I started feeling worse, she was going to a party? If she was going to a party she couldn't be that upset, did she even miss me at all?

"Oh if they've just arrived I'll let you guys be to get ready." I heard Nate say into the phone. "But can we meet up tomorrow? I mean there's so much we have to catch up on especially what's been going on the past week cause to be honest with you I really don't get it, Caitlyn tried to explain…"

Of course Nate didn't get it; I still didn't get it fully! This was ridiculous! Suddenly my heart ache was over shadowed by some kind of mixture between frustration and determination. I deserved answers and damn it I'd be getting them…tonight!

Mitchie's Prov

My friends and I had never been typical girly girls who took hours to get ready which explained why we were pulling up on Frankie's drive forty minutes later squeezing in among the many other cars.

I hadn't bothered dressing up, I usually would have at least put on skirt or dress and curled my hair for a party but I just wasn't in the mood. Instead I just stuck on my favourite denim skinny jeans, a beige and gold coloured tank top and my knee high brown boots, I left my hair down but Ella insisted she straighten it for me, I wore very little make up and the only accessories I had were my gold gypsy ear-rings.

When we left the car we were met by thumping dance beats I sighed as a shut the car door, I didn't want to be here. Ella and Caitlyn were at the door before I was both looking way more feminine and prettier than me. I got to the door as it was being pulled opened by Frankie himself, who seemed to be suffering from nostalgia as he was wearing his letterman jacket.

"Ah ladies, you made it." He smiled before his eyes widened a little when they found me behind them. "Mitchie, you came!" He seemed surprised, even though I'd been to every one of his summer bashes his sophomore year. "Where's…"

My friends silenced him quickly as they pushed him into his summer condo letting themselves in, but I knew what he was gonna ask, or more specifically _who_ he was going to ask for and even almost hearing his name had my heart given out a painful squeeze. This night was gonna be worst than I expected, my friends weren't going to be able to intercept everyone at this party that knew about Shane and I.

Shane's Prov

I pulled into the driveway and quickly got out of the car before jogging up to the front door and given it three quick knocks. It had took me ages to get here the traffic had been murder and all the traffic lights seemed to be against me, I mean ten red lights in a row had to be a new record.

It was a couple of seconds after I knocked that the door was being pulled opened allowing a pool of light fall over me.

"Hi Shane." I expected her mum to be a little surprised to see me on their door step but she wasn't, it seemed like she had been expecting it.

"Hi, Mrs Torres." I smiled as politely as I could although my impatience was shouting at me to barge on past her and go looking for Mitchie. "I know this is unexpected but I really need to talk to Mitchie." I felt one of the fractures in my heart ache as I said her name out loud for the first time in a long while.

"I'm sorry Shane, she's gone out." She apologised sincerely.

"Oh right the party." I tried to say coolly.

Her mum looked surprised I knew about it, "How…?"

"Nate was telling me about it I was hoping to catch her before she left." I answered trying to be as truthful as possible. "I suppose I'll just talk to her there." I said turning back to the drive; Nate said the party was in Santa Monica, right? I'd be getting my answers tonight even if I have to go to every door out there.

"Shane." Her mum called making me turn around to face her again. "I know this isn't my place and I really shouldn't get involved but…please, please don't go to that party." She pleaded.

I felt my forehead crease and a confused look sweep across my face, "What?"

"This is the first time she's left the house since you and her split up; I don't want to think what it might do to her if she sees you so soon."

"I'm sorry Mrs Torres, but I have to see her we have to talk this out. I need her." I confessed before jogging down the drive and jumping into my car and speeding off.

Mitchie's Prov

This party got more like one you would see in a teen movie every year I thought rolling my eyes as two boys helped their friend up to do a keg stand in the middle of the living room before everyone around them starting chanting "chug chug".

I'd lost Caitlyn and Ella the minute I stepped in the door they were probably off explaining to Frankie why he couldn't mention Shane around me not that he was the only one that knew, as I wandered around absently looking for Caitlyn and Ella every so often I'd catch a few people staring at me then whispering to the group they were in, which is why I didn't stay in the same room too long if I stuck around long enough someone was bound to get up enough courage to ask me about him.

I started for the kitchen when I noticed people staring at me as I watched the phenomenon that was under age drinking.

"Well, well look who it is." A boisterous male voice called out loudly the minute I walked into the kitchen.

I felt my muscles tightening up reflexively and my mouth twist into a grimace, having Shane on the brain since I met him made me forget about some of the less pleasant people in my life. I sighed and rolled my eyes before turning around to find him, he was at the other end of the island that was in the middle of the kitchen, where a mixture of juniors and seniors had paused their game of beer pong and were all staring at me, but unlike the open mouth, star struck gawks the others were wearing he had his uniform superior smirk plastered to his face.

"Hunter." I acknowledged him in a monotone voice before turning to leave again.

"Wait, wait." He called after me before moving so he could lean over the island to catch my wrist.

I gritted my teeth together as I turned around, "What?" I spoke through them.

"What no smile for me?" He asked still grinning; there was something about that smile that made me want to punch him in the face. "You know how I loved that smile." He stage whispered –trying to be alluring – as he brushed his finger lightly over my bottom lip.

I smacked his hand away reflexively and pulled my wrist out of his grasp in the same moment, "Get lost." I spat before turning around again.

I was in the living room again before he caught up with me our audience from the kitchen following him.

"Wait Mitch, I'm sorry." He called loudly so I could hear him over the music, as he grabbed my wrist again spinning me around and pulling me closer to him. "I just can't help myself around you." He tried to flirt once again.

I pulled my wrist out of his grasp once again and took a couple of steps away from him; I didn't want to get a rash from being so close to the ass. It took me a while to notice our little scene had got the attention of most of the people in the living room and someone even had turned the music down.

"Hunter, why don't you go into the street and play with traffic." I hissed at him.

"O.k. o.k. no more teasing, I promise." He smiled fakely. "How about I make it up to you?" He asked that stupid smirk returning.

I eyed him suspiciously.

"Luke!" He shouted over my head, I followed his gaze to a boy standing in the corner next to the C.D player. "Can you put on some music for Mitchie?" He continued cockily. "What do you say Mitchie, a little Connect Three?" His sniggering was joint by a few others.

There was a sudden pain in my heart the minute he said the name – yes I had done nothing for the past week but listen to their album but I never had to hear their name – I felt a lump build in my throat and burning sensation of tears begin to build up behind my eyes but I refused to cry here it would please him too much. "Hunter, why don't you just drop dead!" I yelled angrily at him before pushing through the crowd to the kitchen again and escaping out the sliding doors to the back yard.

I wrapped my arms around myself; the sheer temperature difference was phenomenal compared to the heat in the house all the close pack bodies were generating.

"Mitchie!?"

I rolled my eyes, was he serious? Was I ever going to get away from him this night?

"Mitchie!?" He yelled again.

I walked on further down the large lawn and past the pool ignoring him, I frowned when I had to stop when I found no back gate to escape out of, how did these people get out to the beach? I heard his footsteps getting closer so I tried to scan the fence quickly it wasn't that high if I climbed up this side it would be an o.k. drop onto the sand on the other side I thought as I gript the wood tightly and put one foot in a gap pushing myself up with the other.

"Oh come on Mitch." He sighed heavily behind me.

"My name is Mitchie not Mitch." I said through my teeth, but not because I was angry this time more because this fence climbing was harder than I thought.

"Your not going to get anywhere fast by climbing the fence." I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"I don't need to get anywhere fast, just away from yo-u." The last word was changed from one syllable to two as two strong hands gript my waist firmly and began pulling me off the fence. "Let go!" I shouted hanging onto the fence tighter but it was no use he was stronger than me and soon both my feet were on the grass again. "What?!" I fumed turning around to face him roughly removing his hands from my waist and backing up until the fence stopped me from getting any further away from him.

"I just wanted to apologise." He said putting up his hands defensively.

I looked at him sceptically.

"Seriously." He said earnestly stretching one arm out so it was on the fence beside my head and leaning closer to me. He looked at the ground for a split second before looking up to look me in the eyes, "What I said in there was uncalled for. I know you and Shane are over it was a low shot I was just showing off. So, I'm sorry." I'd never seen him look so honest since we'd dated, which was a long, long time ago.

"Apology accepted." I couldn't help but smile when a sweet smile washed across his face.

"So, I've been thinking…" He smiled crookedly, bringing the hand that was leaning against the fence down so it was caressing my hair while he placed his other hand on my shoulder and gently trailed it down my arm, making the hairs on my arm stand up, then lacing his fingers through mind when he reached my hand. I was too dazed and confused by the turn in this conversation to stop him from doing either. "…a lot about you recently and about how we left things. Mitchie, what do you think about given it another try?"

His crooked smile and the way his blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight made me remember why I liked him in the first place and his honesty made me like him a little more but it wasn't even a glimmer next to how I felt about Shane. "I can't, I'm sorry." I apologised.

It killed me as I watched him grimace, "It's him isn't it?"

"Not just him." I lied quickly before fishing for other things that would keep us apart. "At the end of the summer you're off to Michigan to play college football and I'll be at U.C that's over two thousand miles we'd be spending apart during the college year."

"I guess that's a good reason." He agreed reluctantly before something lit up his expression. "We have two weeks till then though." He said hopefully.

"Um…I don't think that's a good idea." Cause I'm in love with Shane! I wanted to scream at him – even though we weren't together - why was he doing this to me now? I was confused enough already.

"Well, let's just have tonight then." He said putting both hands against the fence and leaning in closer to me.

I watched shell shocked as he tilted his head slightly as he closed the gap between us. I snapped out of it quickly and moved my head just in time leaving him kissing the air.

"Why did you do that?" He smiled asking the question but I heard the underlying annoyance in his voice as he tried again.

I dodged his lips again, "Hunter, I don't think this is right."

"You don't need to pretend your shy around me." His smile wasn't as sweet anymore he was half smirking now as he leant his head closer to me but not to kiss me this time to whisper even though we were alone. "I read the articles, Mitch." He smiled brushing his finger tips up and down my neck. "I know what you and that rockstar were getting up to. We can have that for tonight or as long as you want." He stopped brushing his fingers up and down my neck and began trailing them over my collar bone and down my side grazing my chest with his thumb before travelling on down to my hip stopping to pull me closer to him.

I felt myself stiffen as his words sunk in and I released what he was getting at, and the way he was staring at me I knew whatever I said or did it wasn't going to make a difference now, he knew what he wanted. I started feeling panicky he was too strong for me to try to take on myself and we were too far away from the house for anyone to help me. I froze up more as he started roughly caressing the skin that my top left exposed; I found the ability to speak as his hands began to go up my top.

"Hunter, stop." I said sternly trying to push his hands back down.

"Babe, you know you want this too." He whispered huskily in my ear before kissing my neck hungrily.

"Hunter, stop!"I shouted finding my voice. "Get off of me!"

His hand found my bra clasp and quickly on done it, it was hopeless I couldn't believe this was happening to me I felt the tears come on quickly and blur my vision, "Stop." I begged my sobs making my words shake.

The night breeze he was shielding me from suddenly hit me and his hands that were on my skin suddenly disappeared, I let myself sink to the ground my legs too weak to hold me up. There was a blur of movement in front of me but I couldn't see through the tears, I knew I should be able to hear what was happening but all I could hear were my own sobs. I tried to muffle my sobs using one of my hands and used the other to wipe furiously at my eyes so I could see.

It took a while but soon I was able to see and even though my sobs hadn't totally stopped I had managed to quieten them. There were two bodies rolling around on the grass four feet from me, one was definitely Hunter I could see his frosted spikes and every now and again I heard him grunt or wince in pain. The fight seemed about even and with the constant movement I couldn't tell who the other person was, until Hunter forced him down into a pool of moon light. A sob got caught in my throat when I seen his perfect face - the face I loved – bruised and cut, yet he didn't show if he was in pain he just looked ready to murder Hunter. Thinking Hunter's name made me look at him he had the advantage now as he pinned Shane down and raised his fist over Shane's face ready to deliver another blow. I dunno where I found the strength but I found myself flying towards Hunter's kneeling body, the impact sending us both tumbling over a foot away from Shane in a pile.

"Mitchie, get out of my way." He growled shoving me off him; obviously my attempt to save Shane hadn't even fazed him.

"No, don't hurt him." I begged trying to pull him back, Shane still wasn't up right.

He grabbed my wrists roughly and threw me backwards making me scratch my face on a stone, "I'll be finished with him soon then we can finish what we started." He smirked evilly.

He sauntered over to Shane and smirked as he watched Shane try to get to his feet, I wanted to scream at Shane to get up but I couldn't find my voice I just stared at the scene horrified. Hunter grabbed the back of Shane's hair roughly dragging him to his knees and raised his fist once again to deliver the blow that I was sure was gonna knock Shane out. I didn't want to watch but I couldn't look away.

Suddenly everything felt like it was going in slow motion, Hunter raising his fist, Shane closing his eyes tightly preparing himself for what was about to happen. Then I felt a brisk breeze whisking past me on either side, and I watched relieved as my prayers were answered.

"Hey!" Jason called out as he and Nate pulled Hunter around using both his shoulders making him let go of Shane so he was in a pile on the ground.

"Why don't you try taking all of Connect Three on?" Nate smirked.

Then like out of some humorous action movie both of them hit him in the ribs at the same time.

Unfortunately though it only fazed him for a couple of seconds then he was ready to take them on too, but before he managed to swing at Nate or Jason two pairs of arms trapped him.

I hadn't noticed that half the party had followed Nate and Jason out into the back yard and were gawking at the scene in front of them opened mouthed.

"Let's go dude." Frankie said in a demanding voice as he and another boy dragged Hunter towards the house.

"Get out of the way!" I heard Caitlyn demand, pulling my attention back towards the crowd as she and Ella barged through to get to my side.

"Are you o.k.?" Caitlyn asked concernedly before noticing the scrape on my cheek. "You're bleeding." She exclaimed bringing it to my attention for the first time since I got it.

I dapped at my cheek with my finger wincing a little when it stung.

"We should clean it up." She insisted as both of them helped me to my feet.

"We're so sorry." Ella burst out when they steadied me. "We didn't mean to leave you alone for so long. We're really really sorry."

"It's o.k. Ella. It was my own fault I shouldn't have come out here by myself." I assured her as they lead me towards the house the crowd quickly separating to let us through.

"Don't blame yourself!" Caitlyn scolded quickly. "It was that jerk's fault."

Shane's Prov

"Dude, are you o.k.?" Nate asked quickly kneeling beside me.

"Fine." I said absently as I watched Mitchie – I would have went over to her but I didn't have the strength to stand yet – to make sure she was all right, she only had a small graze on her cheek that I watched Caitlyn point out to her.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked poking my eyebrow making me wince and showing me my blood on his finger.

"Is it bad?" I asked.

"You have a cut above your eyebrow, a busted lip and I'm pretty sure you're gonna have a bruise on your left cheek, but no it's not that bad." Jason chuckled light heartedly making me chuckle too.

"The label is not going to be happy." I sighed.

"They'll find a way to spin it to their advantage they always do." Nate reassured me. "We better get you fixed up a little." He commented helping me to my feet.

"Um...actually I was going to…" I trailed off looking towards where Mitchie had been only to get a glimpse of her disappearing into the house.

"Oh right, sure dude we get it." Jason smiled encouragingly.

I turned to jog after her but then something occurred to me, "How did you guys know where I was?" I asked turning around.

"Caitlyn called." Nate explained. "Go get her." He smiled shoving me lightly.

I gave them a brief smile – that hurt the corner of my bottom lip making me remember what Jason had said about a busted lip – before pushing through the crowd and making my way into the house.

Mitchie's Prov

Caitlyn and Ella helped me up to the first floor bathroom, with both of them constantly apologising as they did. It took a while for me to convince them I didn't blame them for what happened and even longer for me to convince them I was capable of cleaning my cut by myself; I had to resort to lying about needing the bathroom to get them to leave me alone. I wasn't angry with them, I just needed alone time to get my head around everything that had happened in such a small amount of time.

I studied myself in the floor length mirror after I closed the door on my friends, I hadn't thought I looked good when I arrived but it was safe to say I looked even worse now. My cream top and jeans were covered in muck; Hunter had even managed to rip my top a little and as I remembered about my bra being undone and tried to re-do it I felt a little rip on my strap too. My hair was no longer straight but matted and dirty from the ground like my clothes, I frowned a little at my appearance but reminded myself it could have been worse as I went to the sink and turned on the hot water to clean the dried in blood from my face. I used a face cloth that was laying by the sink and ran the hot water over it before dabbing my cheek with it when all the blood was gone I lent over the sink to study my cut only to wince as the sink pushed into my side. I moved quickly and pulled my top up on both of my sides there were four red marks –that were going to be bruises eventually I could tell - and were perfect images of Hunter's fingers.

Jerk, I thought bitterly as the tears began to well up again as I pulled my top back down.

_Knock! Knock!_

"Guys, I'm fine. I'll be out soon." I called back, wiping my eyes quickly.

They didn't listen, as usual, and just walked on in making me turn around and face them. Only it wasn't them.

Shane's Prov

"Hi." I smiled lopsidedly. "Did you know they had more than one bathroom in this place?" I tried to joke to keep it light.

I watched as her eyes began to well up a little before she threw herself across the room at me and wrap her arms firmly around my waist, "Thank you." She choked out as she buried her face into my chest and tightened her arms around me.

I wanted to tell her that I'd always look out for her and hug her back, but as she squeezed me harder a sheering pain travelled along my ribs, "Ah." I winced.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologised quickly taking two steps away from me. I didn't want her to move away from me, even if it was sore in the moment she hugged me I felt complete again.

I watched her study me, a horrified look spreading across her face I wondered how bad I looked to her.

"Are you o.k.?" She asked.

"I'm fine." I answered, but I was starting to notice the throb above my eyebrow, taste the blood from my lip and the pain in my ribs was getting worse, but I just wanted to forget about it and talk to her, it had been too long since I seen her last.

But my answer didn't seem to convince her, "Sit." She instructed. "Let me clean you up."

I did as I was told sitting down on the edge of the bath, as she turned around and began running water over a face cloth. She sat beside me when she was done and touched the cloth to the cut above my eyebrow, which made me wince a little.

"Sorry." She apologised taking the cloth away from my face immediately.

"It's fine." I reassured her quickly.

She studied me for a split second probably debating whether to continue or not so I gave her a reassuring smile, she smiled back –that beautiful wide smile that showed her teeth and was as contagious as the cold- before moving closer to me and started dabbing at the cut more lightly this time.

We sat in silence as she worked on my face and I studied hers, I had missed her strawberry and cream complexion, her beautiful big eyes and those lips. Her hair moved slightly as she began dapping my lip letting me see the cut on her cheek close up for the first time. I didn't think about what I was doing, I forgot it probably wasn't the way to behave when you weren't dating someone, but I brushed her hair back behind her ears gently then put my finger and thumb under her chin and moved her head to the side so I could see it better. She held perfectly still as I done it, knowing exactly what I was studying, it didn't look as bad now she had cleaned it, just a few grazes and a little bruising but I still felt the same red hot anger burn beneath my skin from when I seen him attacking her.

"It's not as bad as it looks." She reassured me.

"I should've drowned him in that pool." I spat angrily releasing her.

"You wouldn't have wanted his murder ruining your reputation." She tried to joke.

"Well, I should have been able to do something besides get my ass kicked." I frowned at the floor. "I should have been able to protect you better."

Her hand slid down my cheek to find my chin and forced me to look at her, "You did protect me." She reassured me holding my face between her hands so she was looking into my eyes.

"Not well enough." I sighed - her touch extinguishing my anger – as I moved my hand to her cheek with the scratch on it.

I dunno what happened in that moment, with our hands caressing each others cheeks and our eyes meeting, I felt complete, whole, that depression left me completely now she was here. I wound my other arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me, pausing to gage her reaction she smiled as her hands moved from my cheeks to the back of my head and tangled themselves in my hair as they pushed my face closer to hers allowing our lips to meet. The kiss wasn't careful or soft, it was full of passion, want and longing I pulled her closer to me still ignoring the ache in my ribs I moved my lips down her chin to her neck and along her collar bone again and again

"I'm so in love with you." I managed to say between kisses. "I've missed you so much. I'm so happy we're together again."

She froze suddenly loosing her hands from my hair and letting them fall to her side before sliding to the other end of the bath away from me.

"Mitchie, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?" I asked concernedly moving to get beside her.

She stood up before I could wrap my arms around her and moved to stand with her back against the sink so she was looking at me.

"I can't." She whispered so low I wasn't even sure that's what she said.

"What?"

"I said I can't." She spoke louder.

"Can't what?" I asked standing up so I was in front of her and rubbed her arm.

She moved her arm out of the way and walked to the door of the bathroom, "Can't be with you." She answered before leaving me in the bathroom alone. If it was possible it hurt more hearing it from her in person than over the phone.

Mitchie's Prov

The tears over spilled as I ran downstairs desperate to escape, I shouldn't have let it get that far I should have thanked him and got out of there as soon as I could. How could I have let it happen? I should have been stronger. It was going to make everything so much harder now.

Caitlyn, Ella, Jason and Nate were waiting at the bottom of the stairs and the minute they seen me coming they went from happy to concerned.

"Mitchie, what happened?" Ella asked rushing to my side.

"We need to leave." I sniffed.

They nodded indicating they understood and rushed out the door in front of me. I followed them out the door and across the grass towards Caitlyn's car after throwing Nate and Jason a weak smile. Our exit was getting a lot of attention; I heard murmurs of sympathy as I walked past groups of people my arms wrapped around myself and hair brushed over my shoulders hiding my face so no-one could see the mess I actually was.

"Mitchie!"

I closed my eyes tighter and walked towards the car faster, pretending I couldn't hear him.

"Mitchie!"

He was closer I really wanted to break out into a run to get away from him but my heart wouldn't let me.

"What?" I yelled turning around to face him. "What do you want Shane? I've said all I need to say you know how I feel. I don't want to be with you." The lie burned in my throat on the way out, but if I said it out loud maybe he'd believe me and leave me alone and make this all easier to get over.

"I don't believe you." He answered calmly –which was odd after I just screamed at him - coming to a stop in front of me. "I know you still love me."

"I don't." I argued weakly. "Just leave me alone." I yelled trying to make my voice stronger before turning for the car.

"I'm leaving the band!" He shouted after me.

I heard gasps all around me one of which was probably mine.

"Are you crazy?!" I hissed turning around to face him again. "You can't shout things like that about, especially when you're not being serious."

"I am being serious." He frowned. "I came here looking for answers but suddenly everything is making sense. You don't want to be with me because of what me being famous entails; you don't want to be in the spotlight, so if the only way to have you is to leave the band then I'll do it. I'll call my manager right now and quit." He said simply bringing out his cell phone.

"Don't be an idiot." I snapped pulling the phone out of his hand. "You love that band and if you leave what will Nate and Jason do? You'll be letting them down, have you even considered that?" I yelled at him. "Probably not because you're so self involved, you egotistical jerk and what makes you think I'd come running back…"

I was interrupted as his lips came crashing down on mine, and I didn't have the will power to stop it, I wanted it, I loved the feel of his lips moving with mine I loved the way his fingers traced my jaw line, I loved him.

He stopped before I did. "I knew you loved me." He smiled triumphantly his eyes sparkling.

"I never said that." I argued automatically. "I called you an idiot and an egotistical jerk; I never said I loved you."

His smile widened as I spoke.

"What?" I frowned.

"You do love me." He smiled. "That little speech was proof you wouldn't have made it if you didn't care."

"Of course I care about you, you big idiot." I exploded. "If I didn't I wouldn't have broken up with you, I wanted to protect you and your career that's why I put myself through all this heart ache. Now I know that was all just a wasted effort because you're here calling my bluff and saving me and telling me you love me and I want nothing more than to get back with you because I'm almost as selfish as you are!"

His smile had turned into a wide grin when I was finished shouting my confession at him. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Stop, smiling you big jerk and kiss me." I ordered still smiling goofily at him but I didn't even give him time to respond I was far too impatient to feel his lips on mine and his hands on my body as I pulled him roughly into me.

**A/N: Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that read this, and put it in their alerts or favourites and especially all the really nice reviews I appreciate it a lot! :) **


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